Lonely No More
by Cyberchao X
Summary: How we got from there to here-the Earth girls cope with their friends leaving for Mid-Childa. AriSuzu, very OC-heavy.
1. Chapter 1

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: You know, I don't think these things are even necessary anymore, but old habits die hard.

Chapter 1

…Yes, _Chapter 1_. Why not? There's always a niche to be filled, and while the trials and tribulations of the major cast and their love lives are certainly interesting enough, I feel that they are not really my calling, and that these side characters who were all but completely gone from the series by StrikerS are. So I'm going to explore, in a bit more detail, how we got from the flashback portion of "Last Christmas" to the present-day relationship. Let's pick it up from, say, somewhere in the week between Christmas and New Year's, the year that Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate left for Mid-Childa. Enjoy!

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><p>Arisa Bannings sighed heavily. "Couldn't they have at least waited until the new year to ship out? I mean, who starts anything on the last week of the year, anyway?"<p>

"They're going to another world, Arisa-chan," her friend, Suzuka Tsukimura, reminded her. "They probably don't even use the same calendar we do."

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Disappointed that you won't get to kiss Nanoha-chan at midnight?" Suzuka teased, dodging a punch from her friend. "Or is it Fate-chan you're after?"

"Like they'd kiss anyone but each other." Arisa was indeed very much in love with both girls, but she recognized the intense feelings they felt for each other and put her own feelings aside. "And what about you? You had only just gotten up the courage to confess to Hayate-chan."

Suzuka blushed. "Ha…Hayate…chan…"

"I'm sorry, Suzuka-chan; I shouldn't have brought it up. L-let's talk about something else, okay?"

"…No, I'm fine. I should've said something earlier, but…it's just _Hayate-chan_, you know? The consummate lover—"

"You mean 'shameless pervert'," Arisa corrected.

"Well, yeah, but I think what I said was more polite—anyway, she was always so 'hands-on' with Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan, and Vita-san and Signum-san and Shamal-san, and even with you! I always figured I'd have my chance…"

"I think it's because she valued you as a friend, too much to risk losing you by imposing her own feelings onto you. It's just too bad she thought you were…"

"…Straight? Ha, like I'd stand a chance around all of you. I'd have found a new set of friends a long time ago if I didn't love you all so much."

"Well, Suzuka-chan, it's easy to understand why one could make that mistake."

"Why? Just because I'm not a tomboy like you or Nanoha-chan? …I always did wonder why you fell so hard for her. She doesn't seem right for you; too boyish in her own right."

"Hardly. Besides, even with that short haircut, Hayate-chan's still pretty girly. By your reasoning, shouldn't _you_ have been chasing after Nanoha-chan?"

"We all want Nanoha-chan, Arisa-chan; that's just her nature. She's…magnetic. We all met because of Nanoha-chan."

"…One can only imagine that a large group of lesbians is amassing in this 'Mid-Childa' as we speak," Arisa joked.

"Oh, come on, Nanoha-chan doesn't _only_ draw in lesbians! Hell, Yuuno-kun isn't even a girl!"

"…True. You make a good point, Suzuka-chan. Still…I'm really going to miss her. All of them."

"Me too, Arisa-chan. Me too." Suzuka gently put her arm around her friend's shoulder. It was seen as a comforting gesture, nothing more. In reality, she had warm feelings for Arisa as well, though they had mostly been suppressed for the past few years because of her overwhelming desire to experience Hayate's molestations first-hand.

"…Anyway, regarding your earlier observation, _as_ a 'tomboy' who never backs down from a fight, I admire strong, powerful women like Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan."

"That's…understandable. I guess one of the other things I look for in a woman is strength not of body but of spirit. Hayate-chan and Nanoha-chan both have that in spades." _"As do you, Arisa-chan,"_ she thought.

"…So you _did_ like Nanoha-chan as well!"

"Like I said…everybody wants Nanoha-chan. When all's said and done, she could become a modern-day Helen of Troy."

"Who?"

"Geez, Arisa-chan, pay more attention in classical literature class!"

"…Will you tutor me over the break?"

"Sure. You couldn't have asked me this yesterday?"

"Wasn't feeling totally up to doing homework yet…and even if I was, I didn't want to risk _you_ still being mopy."

"Why would I be mopy?"

"Hayate-chan," Arisa said, then prepared to hug Suzuka at the first sign of moping.

The moping never came. "Yeah, well, I guess I was still just flying a bit too high from that wild night of ours…"

"Wait…just what went on that night?"

"A lady never tells," Suzuka said, walking off and leaving Arisa fuming behind her.

* * *

><p>A fine start, if I do say so myself. Cyberchao X, signing off.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 2

Oh, dear, looks like I may need to create OCs…

Disclaimer: _Some_ characters not property of me.

* * *

><p>*New Year's Eve, six years after the events of A's*<p>

"All by yourself today, Bannings-san?" asked the Tsukimura maid, Noel.

"Y-yeah…I've never been much good with the opposite sex. Well, not since the age where the best way to impress a boy was to beat him up, anyway."

"Well, I hope that won't make your New Year's _too_ disappointing."

"I'll be fine."

"Will you, now?" asked Suzuka's own personal maid, Farin, after Noel had left. "Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan aren't here this year."

"…Rare for you to actually be the more observant one."

"As my personal maid, Farin-san has more contact with my friends than Noel-san, and so therefore she knows them better," Suzuka said, while Farin pouted at the insult. "Although it wouldn't take very much observational skill to figure out your tendencies."

"You're so mean!"

"No, I wasn't saying that you're _not_ that observant…it's just that Arisa-chan's preferences are pretty obvious if you spend any significant amount of time with her."

"And what about you, Suzuka-chan?" Arisa asked, enough of a whisper that Farin couldn't hear. "I see _you_ have a date for the night."

"Arranged by my parents, of course," Suzuka replied. "I don't really mind, but…I'd rather have a girl's lips against mine at midnight."

"Preferrably Hayate-chan's, right?"

"…Yeah." _"Or yours,"_ she thought.

"Well, if you really need a girl, I'm always available for you."

"That's…sweet, but right now I need to keep up appearances. Even if Hayate-chan were still here, I'd probably wait until later to give her her New Year's smooch."

Arisa sighed, no longer bothering to whisper. "I'm glad I don't have any arranged dates."

"Well, it was just because I was single. Obviously if I had a boyfriend, my parents wouldn't have done this." The underlying message was perfectly clear—Arisa had definitely made the right move by whispering, because Suzuka was still very much in the closet and seeing as how this year's Christmas gathering, at which Suzuka had been open about her sexuality, had been at Hayate's apartment, where the only "adults" were magical constructs who followed Hayate to Mid-Childa, Arisa was the only one on Earth who knew the truth.

Midnight came around, and Arisa watched Suzuka and her date kiss. _"How does she do it? She makes it look so believable…even if it had been on the lips, I might have thought it looked genuine."_ (A/N: I only remembered right as I was getting to this scene that kissing is a much bigger deal in Japanese culture than it is in American culture—to the point that many anime/manga kind of overexaggerate just _how_ casually Americans will kiss each other—so I had to change it. I started to change the earlier part as well, but Suzuka already kissed Hayate in "Last Christmas" so I left it as it was.) _"I could never be that affectionate to someone I didn't really feel that way about. Suzuka-chan…you look so lovely…"_ Arisa stopped and thought about this statement. Was she serious? Yes, Suzuka looked absolutely wonderful in her kimono, and Arisa _had_ jokingly offered up her lips to Suzuka…but would she really _do_ that? With _Suzuka_? The two of them hadn't even really been _that_ close; mostly it was their common feelings for Nanoha that had kept them together and strengthened that bond. It became even stronger once Hayate, whom Suzuka had befriended even before learning about magic, turned out to be a magical girl as well and got close with Nanoha and Fate, but…it was really only now, with the other three members of their group all gone, that Arisa felt as though Suzuka was someone she truly wanted to keep close to her. Someone she really wanted to get close to. Someone she wanted to get close w—"Happy New Year, Arisa-chan!"

"Wah! Suzuka-chan… Happy New Year."

"Something wrong?"

"What? No, I'm just fine," Arisa lied.

"She's probably lonely without a date for New Year's. I'll leave you to comfort your friend, Tsukimura-san."

"What? No, Arisa-chan's a strong girl; she'll be fine. Stay, Kushimoto-san; I brought you over here to _introduce_ the two of you, not to leave you to be with her." She put one arm around Arisa while she reached out to grab Kushimoto's hand with her other.

Arisa ducked out from Suzuka's grasp. "Get your arm off of me, Suzuka-san," she said, trying not to blush.

Suzuka laughed. "What did I tell you? Arisa-chan is much too independent to let something like this bother her."

* * *

><p>The festivities over, Arisa retreated to Suzuka's room, having made arrangements to stay there in advance. Arisa hadn't been all that terribly dressed up, relatively speaking, and was out of her kimono and into a nightgown before Suzuka had even finished getting all of the pins out of her hair. "I hope that wasn't too harsh," Suzuka said.<p>

"What; you playing the 'good date' instead of 'consoling' me after midnight? I wouldn't have it any other way, Suzuka-chan."

"Of course you wouldn't," Suzuka replied with a grin. "Hey, could you help me with this?" She motioned to her back, where her kimono was tied with a big bow.

"_Isn't this what she has Farin-san for?"_ Arisa thought as she untied it, though subconsciously she was thinking that it's not really that hard to reach just behind your waist the way it would be for the center of your back, and as such, getting _out_ of the kimono really shouldn't have needed any assistance at all. This thought had been unable to properly form at the time, though, because the layers of silk slipped off of Suzuka's body, leaving Arisa staring at the backside of a girl who was naked from about mid-calf on up. Arisa turned away as Suzuka nonchalantly sat down on her bed to remove the accompanying socks. "It looked very nice on you," she said. "You always look great all dressed up."

"So do you," Suzuka replied, pulling on a pair of panties.

"You're just saying that. I don't really like getting dressed up, so I always look uncomfortable."

"You look _fine_," Suzuka insisted, walking up behind Arisa and giving her a hug. "Just because you still look tough enough to punch out any guy who tries to hit on you doesn't make you any less pretty."

Arisa's face turned bright red, and the rest of her body seemed a bit flushed as well. "Suzuka…" she was so flustered that she forgot the honorific, "could you _please_ put on a nightgown before doing that?"

"What? Weren't you in need of a 'happy new year'? You even offered me your lips for the traditional New Year's kiss; I would've thought you'd like this." She loosened her grip so that her nearly-naked body was no longer pressed up against Arisa, but she kissed the back of Arisa's head before walking away to get something else to wear.

"I wasn't being serious when I said that. You're a really good _friend_, Suzuka-chan; with everyone else gone now, I don't want to mess that up with relationship drama. Besides…does anyone else who is still on Earth even _know_ that you're a lesbian?" Arisa thought about this for a brief moment, and before Suzuka could even respond, she added, "_Are_ you even a full-fledged lesbian? Because you looked awfully convincing with Kushimoto-san there. I thought, I don't know, maybe you go both ways…"

This gave Suzuka pause. "That's…a good question. I certainly haven't _minded_ when boys gave me love letters. Being around such strong girls as the four of you, any feelings I might have had for any boys would've been drowned out anyway, so…I guess it's _possible…_ And, yes, you're the only person still on Earth that knows that I'm anything other than completely straight."

"Exactly, so…maybe it's better if you keep up the pretense of being straight for the time being." Meanwhile, Arisa's mind was keying on the words "the four of you". So, Suzuka considered her to be on the same plane as the three magical girls… What if she _wasn't_ just trying to be nice? What if Suzuka was trying to tell her something? The violet-haired girl was indeed quite pretty, though she was nowhere near as cool as Nanoha and Fate… But then again, Nanoha and Fate were both magical girls. Suzuka was just another ordinary girl, same as Arisa—and a kind of shy, gentle one at that. While Fate had a similarly soft-spoken personality, she was still by far the stronger of the two. With Suzuka, Arisa would be the strong one. Something about that sounded kind of appealing to her.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. You may _act_ like a boy a lot, Arisa-chan, but it still might be kind of hard to pretend that you are one." She paused. "Although maybe if you cut your hair short…"

Arisa looked down at her body. "Shut _up_, Suzuka-baka! You're not exactly curvy yourself!"

Suzuka gave Arisa another kiss, this time on her forehead. "I'm sorry, Arisa-chan. You're right; that was very rude of me."

Arisa blushed. "I-It's…that is…just don't do it again, okay?"

Suzuka chuckled. "Okay."

* * *

><p>CCX: Well, I got out of that more easily than I expected. Only one OC, and I didn't even have to give him a full name. And a chapter of decent length, too, on the back of another update to my oeuvre…though I suppose I would've rather had this chapter finished by the end of December. Still, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be set, so if I continue to attempt synchronization with the actual calendar, I may still have plenty of time! Cyberchao X, signing off.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Once again, I believe the number of characters in this chapter that are actually mine is just one.

CCX: Moving right along…

* * *

><p>*Mid-January*<p>

"Suzuka-chan! What are you doing here? Don't you normally go straight home after your club activities?"

"Aren't I allowed to check out my friend's activities once in a while?" Suzuka replied. "You looked good out there." Arisa was of course the consummate athlete, playing a different sport for every season. (CCX: Is this even a valid thing in Japan? Most of what I've read so far suggests that each sport is a year-round club at Japanese schools, but I can't quite picture interscholastic competition as a year-round thing…not to mention, studies show that it's better for children to vary the sports they play because they're more susceptible to repetitive-motion injuries.) Right now, it was basketball season.

"Thanks," Arisa said. "Any particular reason you came today?"

"I don't know; you've seemed a little distant lately. You haven't been avoiding me since New Year's, have you, Arisa-chan?"

"That's ridiculous. I told you then that I deeply valued your friendship, perhaps moreso than ever now. We'll talk later; I have to shower and get changed." Suzuka thought Arisa looked more natural all sweaty and active. She had to admit, there was something quite appealing about the tomboy. It seemed as though Arisa was taking awhile, though, and Suzuka had another thought—what if Arisa had been pulling away because there was someone else? As she herself had said, Arisa's lesbian leanings were fairly obvious, and yet the other girls on the basketball team still accepted her. Yes, Arisa was far too talented to be shunned on the court, but in the locker room? Suzuka could just imagine one of the younger ones kissing up to the captain. _"Oh, Arisa-sempai!"_ She was unable to carry out this thought for very long, though, as Arisa exited. "What's with that blush?" she asked. "You weren't having perverted thoughts of me, were you?"

Suzuka shoved Arisa. "Not so loud; my sexuality isn't public knowledge, remember? Anyway, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe the reason you'd been more distant is because you _have_ found a girlfriend. Some cute junior decide that the team captain is just _so amazing?_" (CCX: Note that this is a change—I had initially forgotten that they'd still be in their final year of junior high, so I had to switch things around and make Arisa the sempai.)

"Where do you get these ideas?"

"…You're kind of an open book, Arisa-chan. And I agree; Makimaro-san _does_ have a nice ass."

"Hey! Quit ogling my team!"

"Are you trying to deny that you were doing the same?"

"I was not ogling Suki-tan! I…" she trailed off as she realized just how damning that last statement had been. "…okay, maybe I _was_ looking her over a bit."

"Pretty girl. Long legs, cute butt—"

"I keep _telling_ her she should get a new skirt; she's grown so quickly that the one she got at the start of the school year no longer fits her properly."

"—long blond hair, and even a little bit of a bust developing. …She can't be a full-blooded Japanese, can she?"

"Hell if I know. I didn't _think_ she was a foreigner, but she definitely looks like one."

"Probably going to disappoint a lot of boys."

"Most girls that popular do." Sensing that Suzuka was referring to the girl's sexuality, Arisa added, "She _has_ a boyfriend."

"So then I was wrong about you and her?"

"…No. I guess I'm kind of her 'mistress'. Not that we've gone very far…I mean, yeah, we lather each other up in the showers, but…"

Suzuka giggled. "Well, I'm happy for you. You deserve to have someone special, even if you _do_ have to share her with a boy."

"Suzuka-chan…"

"Because no offense, but Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan were always more into each other than into you anyway. So you really didn't have much to lose."

"…You really miss Hayate-chan."

"I really do."

"I want to make things better for you, but…we just wouldn't work out in a relationship, I don't think. And I don't really want to test it out, because I like you and I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"Yeah. I get it. Just remember, you're the only one with the key to my closet."

She smiled, and Arisa could feel her defenses eroding. _"Damnit, Suzuka-chan…you have such a pretty smile…"_ "Anything else on your mind?"

"Oh, right. Have you gotten back your scores for the entrance exams?"

Arisa laughed. "Don't worry; you'll still have me around for high school. Though I'm sure I didn't score as highly as you did."

"As long as you did good enough to get in, I'm fine with that." Arisa put an arm around Suzuka. "Geez, Arisa-chan, you need to do a better job drying your hair. You'll catch a cold if you're not careful. Here," she gave Arisa her hat.

"I don't need it."

"I insist," Suzuka said, and put it on Arisa's head.

Arisa blushed a bit at the contact. "Suzuka-chan… You'll make a great wife for some guy—or girl—someday."

"Aw, you really mean that?"

"Well, of course. You're kind and caring, and…anybody would be lucky to have you."

"And yet you don't want to try to take me for yourself."

"…You're really serious about this?"

"…Don't worry about it. If you want to be just friends, then we'll just be friends. We'll be just like any normal pair of schoolgirl friends, except instead of talking about cute guys we'll be talking about cute girls. But…yeah, if you ever want to be more than just friends, I'd be happy with that too." Another kiss on the cheek.

"…You're hopeless, Suzuka-chan."

* * *

><p>CCX: Not much more to say. Cyberchao X, signing off.<p>

Update just one day later: Hmm...Chapter 4's already ready, but...it'll probably bring with it the requirement for a ratings bump. And I kind of like having multis at least _start out_ in the K-T range so that they'll be displayed right away. So I guess I'm going to have to go against my usual policy and hold the readers hostage for reviews. I think 25 should be sufficient, right?


	4. Chapter 4

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: We're up to maybe two original characters, I think.

CCX: I'm a little disapointed that my attempt at actually trying to get readers to review to keep reading failed. Is it that my regulars knew that I'd eventually cave? Yeah, I suppose my earlier notes about wanting to try to get each chapter out by the corresponding time of year it occurs pretty much gave away that if the goal wasn't met by early February, I'd put it out anyway.

Upon further reflection, I may have fucked up the timeline anyway, because with the Japanese school year ending in the spring, the "distant finale" of A's very well could've been implying that the three girls finished out junior high on Earth—which would've been only a little more than six years after the Book of Darkness incident, as they would've been nearing the end of their third-grade year at the time that that happened. But you know what? I don't really care.

* * *

><p>*Early February*<p>

"Something on your mind, Sempai?" Suki asked Arisa. "Tell Suki-tan all about it." The younger girl applied soap to her chest and started rubbing her breasts against Arisa's back while her pelvic area grinded against Arisa's ass.

"Ah… come on, Suki-tan; you know I always get bummed out after a loss."

"While I do indeed admire your competitive fire, this goes beyond just losing the game. Also you brood more after close losses, because you feel like they could've been won if things had gone a little different. A 52-40 loss to a team that hasn't lost all year is practically downright _respectable_." (CCX: Yes, that score seems about right; keep in mind that final scores tend to be lower the further down the line you go, and also that the women's game is usually lower-scoring than the men's.)

"Just…I don't know; maybe thinking about graduation upcoming or something." Suki sighed, obviously disappointed that Arisa would soon be leaving. "Oh, sorry…"

"It's okay. At least I'll still have a boyfriend. Although I kind of like having a girlfriend as well…"

"From what I hear, I'm not that different from a boyfriend anyway."

"Is that what this is about?" She started massaging Arisa's breasts and then worked her way down. "You're plenty feminine, Ari-sempai. Although you _do_ have better abs than my boyfriend does," she added as she reached the older girl's toned abdomen. "I guess that's what I like about you. You're just as tough as any guy, but you don't sacrifice your feminine side to do so. Besides…" she grinned mischievously, "there are things that I can do with you that I can't do with a boy." With this, she fanned her fingers apart, her pinkies just lightly teasing at Arisa's labia.

"Suki-tan…!" Arisa gasped, before composing herself. "I'm sorry…I guess I'm not really acting like a girlfriend should. Not that I really consider us to be 'girlfriends'…I mean, yeah, we do…_this_, but it's kind of a secret romance. Not even the whole team knows. I'm more like a mistress than a girlfriend."

"Shut. Up." Arisa was surprised to find Suki's arms leaving her, and even more surprised to find the younger girl's lips pressed against her own, tongue pushing into her mouth. It was weird—they'd had plenty of skinship, and perhaps even a few quick kisses, but Arisa couldn't remember ever actually having a deep kiss with Suki. "Not the circumstances I would've liked for my first deep kiss with another girl, but…"

"So I was right; we _hadn't_ done this before."

"Strange, isn't it? Considering what we _have_ done already. Was this your first time, too?"

"First that I could ascribe real meaning to. I had—_have_—this one friend for whom making some sort of advance on you was—_is—_practically just her way of saying hello."

"To both sexes, or just to girls?"

"Just to girls, I think. Oh, and she also covered half of her apartment with mistletoe for her last Christmas party, so I managed to get some kisses from a couple of my other friends, but…they only ever really had eyes for each other."

Suki paused. "A few of your friends transferred out during winter break, didn't they?"

"Yeah, so? If you're suggesting I'm moody because of that, you're wrong."

"Whatever you say, sempai. I think we've been in here long enough." Suki rinsed off and left Arisa alone in the shower.

"Always one of the last ones out, Suki-chan. Such a typical girl. With all the attention you pay to making sure you look good afterwards, sometimes I wonder why you even play sports." Suki's boyfriend was waiting for her outside the locker room.

Suki responded in the most natural way—tell the truth in a sarcastic tone. "Eh, the real reason I take so long in there is because the team captain and I get _intimate_ in the showers."

"Haha, sure, whatever. Still leaves far too much time unaccounted for after she left," he replied, leading Suki to the conclusion that her boyfriend didn't even pay enough attention to her games to even know which girl was the team captain. So that "tell the truth but make it sound like a lie" thing worked even better than expected.

Back in the locker room, Arisa continued to stand under the spray of the shower, lost in thought. It had been a few weeks since Suzuka had said that she wouldn't mind being more than just friends, and Arisa felt very conflicted. Suzuka was one of her few remaining _friends_, although she supposed that she considered most of her teammates to be friends as well, to a degree. And she was so kind, and smart, and…pretty… Arisa felt as though she could relate to what Hayate had felt. All three of the other girls had been there when Suzuka had finally spoken up about her feelings for Hayate, and Hayate said that she had refrained from treating Suzuka the same way she treated the other three girls precisely _because_ she didn't want to ruin their friendship by being her usual perverted self and was under the mistaken belief that Suzuka was straight. Knowing Hayate, it must have taken a lot of self-control for her to keep from going after Suzuka…especially since Suzuka was such a beautiful girl.

Wait…Suzuka and Hayate disappeared for most of the night at Hayate's Christmas party… That was also the night that Arisa learned that Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate would be leaving for Mid-Childa. She'd spent most of the night with Nanoha, Fate, and the Wolkenritter, but at the time, she hadn't seen anything strange about it… Had they gotten…_close?_ Was Suzuka no longer unspoiled after all? How cruel that would be, for Hayate to do that just before leaving…the next time she saw the brunette mage, she'd have to chew her out for that.

…Wait, _what?_ Arisa had seen the magical girls in action, and as tough as Arisa was physically, she wouldn't stand a chance against magic. And she already knew that much of the magic they used was explicitly nonlethal, so it wasn't even like they'd have to hold back if they wanted to use it on a friend. Picking a fight with any of those three would be foolish…hell, even before she became a magical girl, it was foolish to pick a fight with Nanoha. "Nanoha…" This derailment of thought didn't last long, however, because the hot water in the shower ran out, and Arisa was blasted back to reality by cold water. She dried off and got dressed.

But for the time being, there was someone else she needed to pay more attention to: Suki-tan. Arisa got out her cell phone and dialed Suki's number, but it went to voicemail. Arisa didn't feel like leaving a message. _"She's probably with her boyfriend right now, anyway."_

Arisa was correct about that. Suki had in fact outright turned her phone _off_ when she was with her boyfriend when they had first started going out, but that had gotten her in trouble with her parents, so she instead took to ignoring any ringtone that didn't indicate that it was her mother or father calling. When the two parted ways, she checked her phone and saw a missed call from an unfamiliar number, but one that looked like it could be a nearby cell phone. She checked her voicemail and found nothing, so she tentatively dialed the number listed. "Hello?"

"Hey, Suki-tan."

"Sempai? Not that I'm not _thrilled _to hear from you, but I don't remember giving you my number…"

"One of the benefits of being team captain. I've got everyone's number."

"Oh, right…so what's up?"

"I've been thinking about what you said, and you're right. I haven't been a very good girlfriend to you. Maybe we could get together sometime outside of school? It doesn't have to be like a real date if you don't want; we could just go to the mall or something, you know, a perfectly innocuous activity for two school-aged girls to be doing together…"

"I'd love that. This Saturday, then?"

"That's perfect. I'm not much good at making chocolate, myself, so I need to pick up a lot of Valentine's Day chocolate anyway."

"_A lot_, huh?"

"Mostly obligation chocolates. Although I'm sure I'll get some teasing for it, because even the girls that _don't_ know about us know that I'm, well, a lesbian."

"Wait, are you getting giri-choco for the entire team?"

"Heheh, yeah…of course, for you, I'll also get honmei-choco…"

"No need. Valentine's Day is traditionally when the _guys_ get chocolate; one giri-choco I can explain, but if I received a honmei-choco…"

"Should I wait until White Day to give that to you, then?" Arisa teased.

"It's only fair, since I'm making a honmei-choco for you for Valentine's Day."

Arisa blushed. "R-really?"

"Oops. I probably shouldn't have told you that in advance. Oh well… See you on Saturday."

"See ya."

* * *

><p>CCX: Nice and long…word count is still low, but I measure chapter length in pages, and this is a six-pager.<p>

…A six-pager…

…_Oh shit no._ No, no, no, no, no, no…

Damnit. Damnit to hell…I thought that getting the I:\ drive wiped was just a mere inconvenience, and that most of the truly important stuff had been backed up to other drives. But it wasn't, because I haven't actually made any progress in _Dream_ since 2009, before my computer got undeployed and therefore back when the I:\ drive was still the home for My Documents. I therefore actually have _less _on my computer now than what's been posted on FictionPress thus far. Now, granted, I _was_ at a huge standstill, but…because I hadn't been progressing, I had wanted to keep a backlog. Those missing chapters were some of my best work. One of my favorite characters really only broke out in those chapters. And you know how I am about having to rewrite stuff…not that I'm sure if I even _could_ rewrite those chapters of _Dream_.

…Cyberchao X, signing off. *sigh* And it turns out it's really only a four-pager.


	5. Chapter 5

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Some characters are mine; some aren't; you know the deal.

*February 14th*

"_Hm?"_ Arisa thought. _"I didn't think Suki-tan would've risked being seen putting this in my shoe locker; I expected to get it after practice today…and I _definitely_ expected her to give it to me in person. Although, I suppose maybe that would be even riskier…"_ She checked and found a note—handwritten, unsigned. She let out what could almost be considered a squeak in surprise.

"Something the matter, Bannings-san?"

"Just…just wasn't expecting this, that's all."

"Not from a 'special someone', then? I'm not surprised that you have a secret admirer."

"Ah…yeah, the note's unsigned." _"But if she really wanted it to be a secret, she would've typed the note; how could I not recognize that handwriting after all of these years? Well, even then, the sentiments within would give it away."_

Dearest Arisa-san,  
>You've always been there for me when I needed you, and I've never told you how much that means to me. I want you to know that you'll always hold a special place in my heart.<p>

It wasn't marked as to whether it was giri-choco or honmei-choco, but it didn't have to be. No chocolate so beautifully handmade could be giri-choco. _"Suzuka-chan… You said you were okay with being just friends, but this confession…"_ She decided to leave it in her locker for the time being. She didn't really want to risk Suki seeing that she'd gotten honmei-choco from someone else…

…Why? Suki _had_ someone else special that she was making honmei-choco for, anyway. Suzuka didn't have anyone else. Wait, no, that's not right. Suki was her girlfriend; Suzuka was just her best friend. But that "anonymous" note really _would have_ been anonymous if it had come from anyone else—even Suki. Seen it enough times to immediately recognize it? Arisa wasn't even sure if she'd seen Suki's handwriting _once_. Most of their interactions were on the basketball court, after all. They'd never had any classes together, because they weren't even in the same grade. But…that's meaningless. Grade level doesn't matter in the long run, does it? What does the long run have to do with anything, anyway? I'm just a middle schooler, goddamnit!

This raging internal argument was abruptly halted by a teacher patrolling the halls, who told Arisa to get to class. The next period had started five minutes ago.

* * *

><p>"Hmm…you're carrying your bag awfully delicately, Arisa-chan. Perhaps there's a beautiful honmei-choco in there that you don't want to ruin, yet couldn't risk it being seen by others?" Suzuka asked playfully on their way home.<p>

"There is indeed. After all, my girlfriend is so far in the closet that she actually has a boyfriend. It was really hard just for her to find a time that the two of us could be alone—or at least completely within company that is privy to our relationship—in which to give it to me." Arisa scanned her friend's face for any sign that the reminder of her relationship with Suki had caused pain. It was only the slightest frown, briefly there and then quickly gone. "Of course, there's also a second one still sitting in my school locker, left in my shoe locker this morning with an anonymous note. That one, I couldn't even take with me, for fear that she'd see it. I could've gone back for it after practice, of course, but there's no way I could fit _both_ of them in my bag; the one from Suki-tan is not exactly small, and the one from the mysterious admirer is even larger." A smile and a blush from Suzuka, which she tried to hide.

"A mysterious admirer, huh?"

"Yeah…I wonder who _that_ could be. …So, Suzu-chan, you expecting a pretty big haul for White Day?"

"Don't I always? I make a lot of giri-choco every year, so then I receive a lot."

"You deserve it. Your chocolate is always so good." She pretended to think for a moment. "You know, I don't think you gave me any giri-choco this year… Did you only bother making giri-choco for Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan and me so that you could secretly give honmei-choco to Hayate-chan and claim that it was giri-choco?"

"Th-that's ridiculous! I would never do something so devious and underhanded!"

"I don't know…hand-writing an anonymous note to someone who's known you long enough to recognize your handwriting so that nobody but the intended receiver would know where it came from seems pretty devious to me."

Suzuka turned bright red. "That obvious, huh?"

"Like I said, I'm fully convinced that you wanted me to know who gave it to me. I couldn't resist teasing you about it, though."

"Y-you don't have to make me anything for White Day if you don't want to…"

"You know better than to expect a homemade chocolate from me, Suzuka-chan. But of course I'll buy something good for you, worthy of that lovely chocolate you made me."

"Th-that's…"

Arisa smiled. "Come on, don't be shy now. You made your feelings for me quite clear. I saw how happy you were when I told you that yours was bigger than Suki-tan's."

"_Which is one of the _only_ times that'll be true,"_ she thought ruefully (CCX: And as _we_ know, inaccurately—Suzuka grows up quite nicely). She said nothing, though.

"It really made me think; am I making a big mistake? Kind of overthought things, actually; got in trouble for being out in the halls after class had already started."

"Oh? Now I'm curious."

"Well, we've known each other for far longer. I had to admit to myself that if Suki-tan wrote me an unsigned note, I wouldn't necessarily be able to recognize it. But…I can't just change the way I feel. Suki-tan means a lot to me. We had our first date on Saturday—nothing that would be immediately obvious to any random passerby that it was a date, but it definitely was. And I think we're going to have another this weekend. And you, Suzu-chan…you mean a lot to me too." Arisa had noticed that they'd already passed the point where they'd normally part ways, and Suzuka was still with her. Suzuka didn't even seem to notice that she was heading towards Arisa's house, though. "You're a very special friend, and…I don't know, I guess I do feel something more…"

"You really mean that?"

Perfect, they were already at her front gate. Arisa said nothing, just grabbed Suzuka's wrists and pinned her against the outer wall and kissed her, a deep, passionate kiss. Suzuka was stunned at first, before slowly returning the gesture. She wanted to pull Arisa closer, wanted some deeper form of physical contact…just her luck that this moment would occur in deadest winter. Unable to move her arms and unwilling to break off the kiss in order to make demands, she hooked a foot around Arisa's ankle and nudged at her; this sufficed to get the message across, and Arisa closed in, letting Suzuka's arms go free to return the embrace…

Well. She hadn't expected Suzuka to get _that_ close. "Wow, Suzuka-chan, I didn't know you were so _bold!_" she teased.

"It's just too many layers to be intimate. It's not like I'm touching your bare skin."

"I take it you'd rather come indoors?"

"Well, kind of…but it's kind of romantic out here. Look…it's snowing." (CCX: Oh _G-d_ that's such a cliché.)

Arisa giggled. "Just come inside. Explain that you decided to come over here, and send for someone to pick you up later. No need to explain _why_ you're here." She disengaged from Suzuka, although she wasn't really sure for whose benefit she was being discreet. Well, maybe that wasn't true. While her parents were perfectly aware of her sexuality, Suzuka's was still very much a secret—to everyone, in fact. Most people believed her to be heterosexual, and Arisa only knew that this was incorrect, but neither she nor Suzuka herself had figured out whether Suzuka was lesbian or bisexual. Still… _"Why must I constantly skirt around all of these closets?"_

* * *

><p>CCX: Because, dear Arisa, without conflict, there is no story. And since our love triangle has a foregone conclusion, this is the best way to create drama. Think about it—the most classic type of love triangle, with an admitted lesbian at the point and two closeted ones, one of which still isn't sure if she's not bisexual and the other of which is sure she <em>is<em> bisexual, as the two suitors. This might actually be my greatest challenge yet, but I'm confident that I can overcome. After all…I've overcome a lot of challenges in the past year or two, like first-person, tsunderes, and songfics that aren't extremely awkwardly shoehorned together (and even creating a lemon songfic, a concept I'd thought up years ago with what eventually would've become the sequel to _What Might Have Been_). Actually, love triangles of any kind are still probably considered one of my weaknesses, although in the past year or so I've gotten a lot author's note was originally a lot longer, but it was mostly me prattling on in greater detail about which fics were examples of my improvements and mourning the loss of _Dream._ Just another piece of evidence as to why I shouldn't write after midnight, but luckily I had more than enough delay between writing and posting. This is CCX, signing off.


	6. Chapter 6

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: The usual.

CCX: Damnit, "Chapter 5 Syndrome" again. I thought I'd gotten past that…

For those of you who don't know, the fifth chapter used to be where I'd always get stuck. Sometimes I wouldn't even be able to finish it; other times, like this one, I'd finish it but be unable to get a start on Chapter 6. And now I'm running right up against my self-imposed deadline.

*February 14th—late evening*

The snow was, in fact, _not_ so bad that it would be hard or even terribly inconvenient for Suzuka to get home, but nevertheless, Arisa ended up inviting her to stay the night. Lacking a viable excuse not to (the only real reason being that "it would be awkward", the reasoning for which could be told to absolutely no one), Suzuka accepted. Arisa's parents started to prepare the guest room, but Arisa pointed out that there were only two of them now, not five as there had been before, and that her bed was big enough for two. Suzuka tried not to show any emotion at this proclamation, which naturally _did_ sell. (The exact reasoning given for the other three girls' sudden departure from Japan involved some foreign academy that they'd been accepted to that ran its years in semesters, and for some reason they were starting in the winter semester. Luckily, all three girls got very good grades and this was actually made to be believable.)

"Geez, what's the matter, Suzuka-chan? I'd have thought you'd be thrilled by this."

"I just feel like you're trying too hard."

"You can't be serious. Just because we're sharing a bed doesn't mean we'll be 'sleeping together'. Yeah, we'll be snuggled up close, but it's just innocent skinship between girls, right?"

Suzuka glared at Arisa. "You know full well that's Haya-chan's line."

"I know. That's why I said it."

"…Promise you'll be gentle with me?" Suzuka teased.

* * *

><p>*February 15*<p>

*Yes, that's right; we go right to the next day. Nothing happened aside from some very adorable spooning, okay?*

"So, sempai, did you have a happy Valentine's Day?"

"Well, it was pretty good, even without a boyfriend. _You_ probably had a nice night, Suki-san."

"Heh heh, yeah…I suppose I did."

"That's good," Arisa said, and meant it. As much as she loved Suki, she knew that it was important that the younger girl spend plenty of time with her boyfriend as well. _"One of the perils of dating bisexuals; you'll never be able to fulfill _all_ of their needs."_

* * *

><p>CCX: "The needs of bisexuals" was actually the subject of a recent dinner table conversation in my household—namely, how does a bisexual end up in a monogamous relationship when there's something they desire from each sex? I couldn't come up with an answer.<p>

* * *

><p>As for Arisa's honorific use, remember what happened when she referred to Suki by the "-tan" honorific when speaking to Suzuka. In case the "wink-wink" tone of the conversation hadn't clued you in, they're meeting in public at the moment. The camaraderie of the court is enough to account for the first-name basis.<p>

"So…are you expecting a big haul for White Day? …Or did you get more yesterday?"

"Haha, very funny. It depends on how many members of the team decide to return my obligation chocolate gift. But no, I didn't get very many chocolates yesterday. I _am_ a girl, after all, and Valentine's Day is generally when the _boys_ receive chocolates."

"Well, you know I'll make you a chocolate for White Day, since you gave me one. And…I guess that's the only one I'll be making for White Day. You?"

"…Two. That's how many chocolates I got yesterday." This didn't arouse any suspicion, since, as stated in the previous chapter, Suzuka giving her friends chocolates on Valentine's Day wasn't exactly a new thing, and while as a first-year Suki wouldn't actually _know_ this, the closeness between the quintet was always quite evident. Suki figured that this count was probably lower than in previous years.

* * *

><p>Arisa managed to get Suzuka's chocolate home that day, and she tried to hide this one from her parents as well—unsuccessfully. "Looks like you have another lover…not that I've ever met your current one, but still…you couldn't even take this home yesterday? You had better not be two-timing…"<p>

"No, no; this one was accompanied by an anonymous note; it's just an admirer. I only didn't take it out because I didn't want to give Suki-tan the wrong idea."

"You couldn't just explain yourself?"

"Didn't want to risk having to. Besides, she might not have been in a position to speak up when she saw it…she's not 'out' like I am."

After dinner, she got a phone call. "So?"

"So _what_, Suzuka-chan?"

"So how is it? Have you tried it yet?"

"It's delicious. I'm going to try to make it last as long as possible so I can savor its greatness."

"Is it better than Makimaro-san's?"

"I wouldn't know. I haven't tried hers yet."

"Really?"

"Well, it would've been tacky to do so with you there…and besides, I always look forward to your chocolates. This one's the best yet, as is to be expected."

"Geez, Arisa-chan, you're making me blush."

"You deserve every bit of praise I give you, Suzuka-chan."

"Thank you…"

Arisa decided to try Suki's chocolate. It was also delicious. Perhaps a little _too_ sweet, though…the type of food that you can feel the cavities forming as you bite into it. But still _very_ good. She was glad that it had worked out that way; the one whom she actually had to give a comparison to had made the better chocolate, and the one who didn't know she was competing against someone else had still been more than good enough. Everyone would be happy.

* * *

><p>CCX: I feel like this chapter was too short. Well, I'll try to produce something longer for the next chapter. *sigh* The thing is, I always have a tendency to rush the story along, and this definitely seems like the type of story that would need to be drawn out, because relationships <em>do<em> take time to develop. Well, until next time…Cyberchao X, signing off.


	7. Chapter 7

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: The usual. More original characters, but also more copyrighted characters.

CCX: Sure enough, with Chapter 6 out of the way, we're flowing once again.

*March, or perhaps early April*

Spring had come, and with it, graduation. A time of joy for some and sadness for others, as friends very well could be separated. Doing her best to hide her status as one of the latter group was Suki Makimaro. She went over to Arisa, giving off the air of someone merely saying goodbye to a friend (albeit a very close one, judging by the kiss on the cheek), but asked in a whisper, "You'll invite me over later, right?"

"Of course," Arisa said, before heading off to see other friends/acquaintances.

"Hey," Suzuka said, putting something small into Arisa's hand, "I thought you deserved to get one of these, too. Even if you don't exactly get any male suitors."

Arisa looked at it. It was a button. "Whose second button is this?" she asked.

"Hell if I know. They all look the same."

"And you still have doubts about your true sexuality?"

"The _buttons_, you dope, not the boys! I could tell you the names of all ten of the boys who gave me their second button." A boy with his mouth open promptly shut it and walked away. "Which apparently would've become eleven if I hadn't opened my mouth just then."

"You're such a heartbreaker, Suzuka-chan."

"Aren't I? You're coming to my graduation party, of course."

"Of course…oh, crap, I've got to reschedule with Suki-tan!"

"One last fling before you part ways?"

"Th-there's no reason that we'd _have_ to part ways just because we won't be going to school together…I mean, yeah, it'll definitely limit how often we see each other, but…"

Suzuka chuckled. "Of course not. My mistake."

* * *

><p>Suki answered her phone. "Sempai?"<p>

"Suki-tan…I'm sorry, but we're going to have to postpone that 'get-together' until tomorrow. I've got…other obligations."

"It's fine; you hang with your friends."

"I'll be thinking of you. That soft, voluptuous body; those beautiful blue eyes…"

"Surely you're not only attracted to me for my looks."

"Of course not. I'm not that shallow, and you've got a lot more going for you than just looks."

"Well, thank you."

"See you tomorrow, beautiful."

Suki laughed. "Yeah…I can't wait."

"My, you certainly know how to sweet-talk a girl. If only the _boys_ could be that charming…"

"Kaburagi-san? Were you listening to that entire conversation?"

"No, not the entire thing. Why? Are you embarrassed by who was on the other end?"

"Hardly."

"So then your girlfriend must still be in the closet."

"You could say that."

"Hmm? Bannings-san, it's a simple yes or no question…ah. She's still seeing a _guy_ as well, isn't she?"

"Yes, and I'm perfectly fine with that. He can fulfill needs for her that I can't, just as I can fulfill needs that he can't."

"Yeah, but the difference is that _he_ doesn't realize that he's not fulfilling all of her needs."

"…You have a point there. But, well, not everyone can be as open about their sexuality as me."

"You're only 'open' because attempting to conceal it would've been fruitless. Sometimes I wonder how that little group of yours managed to stay together."

"What do you mean by _that?_"

"…You're right, that was insensitive of me. A group of girls of mixed sexuality shouldn't be any stranger than a group of friends containing both boys and girls. But I can't help but wonder what it's like to have a crush on someone who isn't even interested in your _gender_."

"I wouldn't know."

"Really? You seemed to fancy Harlaown-san almost as much as you did Takamachi-san. I always did feel kind of bad for you that Takamachi-san never even seemed to notice your feelings…"

"…Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan _are_ a couple. You thought Fate was straight?"

"…Yeah, I did. I guess _that_ was a tad closed-minded too, because now that I think about it there really wasn't much for me to go on one way or the other, but yeah, she didn't really seem quite as gay as the three of you." Evidently Kaburagi was referring to Arisa, Nanoha, and Hayate.

"She does kind of keep her emotions close to the vest," Arisa conceded. "And you're absolutely right about me having an unrequited crush on both of them. I knew it could never happen; they only ever loved each other; but still…"

"Yeah. Unrequited love is something I _can_ relate to."

* * *

><p>"Takamachi-san! Have you heard from Nanoha-chan at all since she left?" Arisa asked.<p>

"Well, I'm probably not the best one to ask since I don't live with my parents anymore, but no, I don't think she's made contact with anyone here. If you're really so curious, though, why don't you just stop by the Midoriya some time?" Since this was another party at the Tsukimura residence, it was only natural that Nanoha's older brother Kyouya would be there, as he and Suzuka's older sister Shinobu were married. (CCX: This is somewhat of an assumption on my part, as they're stated to still be together in one of the _StrikerS_ sound stages, quite a bit after the original series.)

"That's…a very good point. I guess it just felt weird going there if it wasn't to see Nanoha-chan, since that's also where your house is…well, not _yours_, anymore, but…" Kyouya just smiled and nodded.

"Geez, _I_ could've told you _that,_" Suzuka said. "You really haven't gone to the Midoriya even _once_ since Nanoha-chan left?" Arisa shook her head. "You're hopeless."

"Why? How many times have you gone?"

"…Too many, I think. What do you think?"

"How should I know, when you haven't given me a number?"

"I'll take that to mean you disagree. Well, thank you."

"Huh? Oh—OH! Yeah, you're definitely fine."

"I just wish the excess weight were distributed a bit differently."

"Give it time. You're probably just a late bloomer."

"You're just saying that to cheer me up."

"No, it's true," another voice interjected. "I wasn't much different than you when I was your age, and I filled out just fine."

Suzuka turned around. "Onee-san!"

"You're looking well, Suzuka."

"Yes, well, to new beginnings, right? I already went through the separation business three months ago." (CCX: More or less. I'm not exactly sure where graduation would fall, but if it isn't in March, it's probably the very beginning of April at worst—so while the calendar may have turned to a new month four times since Nanoha and the others left, it's probably still closer to three months than to four.)

"…Just because your closest friends are already gone, you shouldn't ignore all of your other friends."

"I'm not. But three of my four closest friends _are_ already gone, and the fourth will still be with me." She put an arm around Arisa, who to her credit didn't change her expression in the slightest. Suzuka saw this and smiled—Arisa was becoming quite adept at covering for her closeted girlfriends. Besides, there'd be _plenty_ of time for Arisa's tender side later.

…Had she actually just thought that? Certainly, it did seem that Arisa had been more receptive to Suzuka's feelings as of late—ever since Valentine's Day, really. But…Suki was Arisa's girlfriend. Suzuka was…just a friend. A close friend, one with whom she could talk about just about anything. They talked about relationships—Suzuka and all of her male admirers, and Arisa's…female admirers. Which, though they rarely talked about that, included Suzuka.

* * *

><p>*The same day, approximately half past 10 PM*<p>

"…Hey, Arisa?"

"Yes, Suzu-chan…Suzuka?" Arisa was actually a bit surprised that Suzuka had addressed her without an honorific. Offended, not in the least, but coming from Suzuka, it was definitely a surprise.

"Would you…like to know what happened between me and Hayate-chan on Christmas night?"

"Well, I have been curious, but why are you bringing this up now?" Suzuka's response indicated that her intentions were _not_ mere exposition; that she was looking for something a bit more…_demonstrative_. "S-Suzuka-chan…" Arisa didn't resist as her nightgown was removed, her feeble protestations more out of surprise that Suzuka was being so forward. Had Suzuka been able to remove herself from the situation and observe her actions, she'd probably be a bit surprised by her forwardness as well, and would probably be able to determine the motive behind them, something which Arisa was blissfully unaware of—that Suzuka's earlier question about Arisa and Suki having "one last fling" wasn't so innocently worded, but a leading question tinged with a desperate hope, and Arisa's answer in the negative filled Suzuka with a considerable amount of negative emotions, primarily jealousy. Suzuka, in fact, now explicitly viewed Suki Makimaro as a rival, though she was not consciously aware of feeling this way. And by trying to follow Hayate's lead—Hayate was still very important to Suzuka, still an object of affection, but in some ways she was also somewhat of a _mentor_ now, on the subject of making love to a woman—with Arisa, she was trying to exert some sort of influence over the blonde girl, to make herself an object of desire to rival the more well-endowed junior. "S-Suzuka—!"

"Not so loud," Suzuka said with somewhat of a teasing grin as she continued to gently massage Arisa's breasts, "Someone might hear."

"Sorry. Was this what you did to her, or what she did to you?"

"What she did to me, of course. Naturally, she was the experienced one…but you're not a neophyte at this, are you? Come on," she said, leading Arisa's hands to the buttons of her own nightie. Arisa did as she was told. Seeing Suzuka's nearly naked body…Arisa could understand why Suzuka had been concerned, as her body did seem slightly fuller than before, but it was in a good way, one that made her seem more lively rather than fat. And it hadn't _entirely_ gone to the "wrong" areas, either—Suzuka was by no means as well endowed as the trio of mages, but she had a clear advantage over Arisa. She looked beautiful…and those panties looked extremely out of place breaking up the flow of Suzuka's pale skin. Arisa quickly removed them. "Anxious, aren't you?" Suzuka teased.

"Just wanted to properly appreciate this work of art."

"You force my hand, my dear," Suzuka replied, slipping her fingers into Arisa's panties…and then not removing them, instead going directly to tease at the blonde girl's sex.

Arisa would have none of it, pulling her own panties off. "Okay, Tsukimura, you win." It shouldn't even require my narration to reveal how much sarcasm this statement was dripping with, the decision to forgo first name basis juxtaposed with _yobisute_. "You obviously had a bad teacher, because that sort of teasing is very rude."

"Haya-chan was a great teacher!" Suzuka protested, though in truth she wanted Arisa to take command of the situation. Arisa was more than willing to oblige, guiding Suzuka's hands while she nipped at the girl's neck, up and down before finally culminating in a long deep kiss. Once she was confident that she'd given Suzuka enough guidance, she moved down to the purple-haired girl's chest, suckling on one nipple, then the other, then the first again. Suzuka cried out and wrapped her legs around Arisa's, pulling their pelvises into each other and starting a rhythmic grinding. "A-A-Arisa…chhhian…!" (CCX: It was really tough to figure out how to properly corrupt that honorific.)

"Th-there, that's…much better, Suzuka-tan." Suzuka didn't comment on it, but she was _extremely_ pleased to hear herself addressed with the same honorific Arisa used when speaking privately to Suki.

"Well…I have a great teacher. Teach me _moooore_, Arisa-sensei!"

"As long as you promise to never attempt a seductive moan like that again. That was absolutely ridiculous, Suzuka-chan." Back to "-chan"; it seemed that the -tan suffix was just something that came from the heat of the moment, and that when Arisa was thinking clearly, Suzuka was still "Suzuka-chan".

"_All in good time, though. All in good time."_

* * *

><p>CCX: The toughest part about sex scenes is <em>ending them<em>. There were a couple of points during the chapter where I thought I was getting stuck, but I've made it through _and_ set out a clear path to the next chapter. Definitely a chapter I'm proud of. Oh, and I've also left myself an opening for the continuation of a running gag, if I so desire. This is a very self-satisfied Cyberchao X, signing off.


	8. Chapter 8

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: The usual.

CCX: And now for the flip side of leaving yourself a clear path to the next chapter: backing yourself into a corner. I haven't had this much prime time to just work on my fanfics in a long time, because the call of the internet is strong, but the problem is…my "prime time" is kind of early in the morning. And you really have to be in the right frame of mind to write a lemon. This is why a lot of my ideas don't get published—often the "lemon frame of mind" comes late at night, when I don't want to be writing.

*The day after Chapter 7*

"Arisa! You've got a guest!"

Arisa was surprised when she came home to learn that someone was waiting for her. "…Suki-san?"

Suki giggled. "It's okay; you can call me 'Suki-tan' like you normally do." Arisa had evidently forgotten that she had referred to Suki as such when speaking to her parents two chapters ago.

"You showed up much earlier than I expected."

"I just couldn't wait to see you." She kissed Arisa, who returned the gesture.

"Did something happen between you and your boyfriend?"

"…Arisa-chan…do you really not have enough self-confidence to think that someone would _want_ to be with you?"

"Of course not," she replied, blushing and thinking about the previous night, the warmth of Suzuka's body beside hers…it was the first time that she'd truly "slept with" someone…and yet, here she'd be doing it again tonight, with Suki. Had Suzuka planned it that way? She certainly wasn't acting like her normal self… She smiled, happy to have an explanation for Suzuka's uncharacteristically forward behavior.

"Good," Suki said, "because I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere."

"…You surprise me sometimes, Suki-tan."

"What? You're my _girlfriend_, Arisa-chan, and I…" She trailed off. Arisa didn't respond immediately, wondering if she was going to finish that word. When she did answer, it was to point out that Suki had never called her "Arisa-chan" before. "Well, we're not in the same school anymore, so you're no longer my sempai."

"Fair enough."

"…I told him."

"What?" Arisa wasn't entirely sure what Suki meant.

"My boyfriend. I told him that I'm bisexual, and I want to be upfront with him, because he's still very important to me, but there are certain things he can't do."

"So something _did_ happen between the two of you."

"No! He was a bit shocked at first, and we didn't immediately see eye to eye about whether it's cheating to have one boyfriend _and_ one girlfriend, but…he ultimately ended up accepting it."

"Let me guess: there's going to be a threesome eventually, right?"

Suki grinned. "The possibility was never even brought up, you dirty girl!"

"Are you serious? So _I_ was the first one to suggest it?"

"Yes, you were."

Arisa blushed. "Forget I said anything."

"I figured you'd say that, since you've got the least to gain from it."

"So I guess that means you're…"

"Confident in my identity as a bisexual? Yeah, I…I think so. I'm still a little scared of how I'll be perceived, but…I can't deny my feelings."

"I'm…glad."

"You don't sound glad."

"I am!" Arisa insisted. In truth, she wasn't _unhappy_…but she felt that this would complicate things. Suki was very special to her, but Suzuka was… Suzuka was…

…_Suki_ was her girlfriend. And one who had been very concerned about the notion of "cheating", and yet, Arisa was the one cheating on her, and without any sort of mitigating circumstances like Suki had for her technical failure to be faithful to a single person. That was that, then, wasn't it? Suzuka would have to understand, at least for a bit… But how _would_ she go about just making it "for a bit"? It wasn't like a relationship between two high schoolers when one goes off to college, where eventually it can just become sort of a thing to have a more open relationship…Arisa wasn't actually going anywhere. Which meant there was no _logical_ reason that Suki would become any less a part of her life, barring them actually breaking up.

"Fine, fine; I won't push it. So, where to first?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I didn't think you just wanted to spend the entire day in your room…though I suppose that could be fun as well."

"Ah…you're right. I'm sure there's plenty for us to do at the mall."

"That sounds great. I could always use some more clothes…and I certainly wouldn't be against modeling them for you! "

"I'm sure. To both parts."

"Of course, it wouldn't be any fun if I was the only one shopping. You've got to get some pretty outfits too!" Arisa wasn't sure what to think of this statement. She wanted to react negatively, feeling as though her fashion sense was being insulted, but she knew Suki didn't mean it like that. Besides, part of her _was_ a bit self-conscious about wearing casual clothes that showed off too much, because she was a bit more muscular than most girls.

Suki seemed to pick up on this, though, and picked out clothes for Arisa accordingly—nothing sleeveless, at least not without a second piece to pick up the slack, and either long pants or skirts that went past the knee. For _herself_, on the other hand… "At the rate you grow, Suki-tan, that skirt will probably be obscene within a month."

"Really? I was kind of hoping it was obscene now." She grinned.

Arisa laughed. "You know exactly what I meant. And yes, you look gorgeous. Really hugs your curves."

"Good."

"I'd been meaning to ask you…how'd you get like that, anyway? Your name sounds Japanese, but you certainly don't _look_ Japanese."

"Just lucky, I guess. I'm three-quarters Japanese, but I guess all of the American traits just lined up for me. The rest of my family looks considerably more Japanese than I do." (CCX: I'm not sure how the curriculum works over there—by seventh grade, we'd at least be _starting_ to learn about how inheritance of traits works—so I'm saving the brunt of the exposition for an author's note. Since the traits that Suki expresses are recessive, it would stand to reason that she'd have to have them on both sides—which is, in fact, the case; both of her parents are also three-quarters Japanese, with fully Japanese fathers and half-Japanese, half-American mothers. And yes, actually, we _have_ gotten to the point where a middle schooler whose _grandparents_ were born during the post WWII "baby boom" is totally plausible—which kind of makes _me_ feel old because my _parents_ are considered "baby boomers", albeit not quite so immediate and on top of that both are the babies of their families.)

"Huh."

"Yeah, that's pretty much the way I feel. But aside from people who see me with my family asking me if I'm adopted, there isn't really much reason to be unhappy about it…after all, foreign traits are considered exotic and by extension attractive."

"I suppose I can relate to that," Arisa said.

* * *

><p>*That night*<p>

"Su—ki!" Arisa found herself grateful that both of her girlfriends' names started with the same syllable, allowing her time to correct her near-slipup. She liked this name; it meant love, though not in quite in the strongest sense, and transposed, it became "kisu", kiss. A very good name for romance. All the same…everything about this felt wrong. It shouldn't have been like that…she _loved_ Suki, right? And she didn't let her doubts show—far from it, she was by no means merely going through the motions, and was in fact taking charge—but all she could think about was Suzuka. These were the same moves she'd performed the previous night, some of them moves that _Suzuka_ had taught _her_—Hayate's moves, she supposed. Somehow, in the midst of making love to Suki, Arisa actually found herself thinking about what might have happened between Suzuka and Hayate at that Christmas party, and again getting mad at Hayate for giving Suzuka that taste of sweetness just before leaving—or was she just getting jealous of Hayate, who still seemed to be as important to Suzuka as Nanoha was to Arisa? But…but that was just perception, wasn't it? Arisa teased Suzuka about Hayate, and Suzuka teased Arisa about Nanoha and Fate, but those two had barely entered Arisa's thoughts at all. How strange it seemed, that neither Nanoha, her lifelong beloved, nor Fate, beautiful Fate with the long blond hair and the ample bust just like the girl beneath Arisa at this very moment, were in her thoughts at all unless she consciously put them there, which she had only done in relation to the duo she _was_ thinking about? However, this last thought gave Arisa another reason to question her relationship with Suki. While it was by no means a perfect match—Suki was taller, her eyes blue and her hair a lighter blonde, but in many ways, it seemed as though subconsciously Suki might have been a surrogate for one of the two girls that Arisa truly desired but was unable to ever have.

…No, she was reading into it too much. Suki was a girl who had been curious and wanted to experiment. If Arisa had truly been searching for a surrogate for an object of her desire, she would've found a girl who resembled Nanoha, for it had always been Nanoha that she'd fantasized about, even after Fate's arrival. But she quickly dispelled that image from her mind before it had even fully formed, and concentrated on the girl in front of her, or underneath her as it were. "Suki Suki-tan." Beloved Suki-tan. (CCX: I have a feeling it should be the other way around, but it sounds better this way.)

Suki smiled, swallowed hard, and said what she'd been unable to before. "_Aishiteru._"

* * *

><p>CCX: Uh…there wasn't really a lemon here at all! Lime, sure; though that might not be accurate because a lime is supposed to be "implied sex" and there's nothing implied about this, but…there's no detail! Not to the sex itself, anyway. Instead, it's all about Arisa wondering if she's with the wrong girl. I have no idea how long this story is going to be, but it definitely seems like we're nearing the official start of AriSuzu! Cyberchao X, signing off with his second completed publication (and sex scene) of the day.<p>

Also, there had originally been a fairly decent-sized author's note near the end of the first section, but it was removed for being too…irrelevant? Tangential? Well, whatever it was, I didn't like it being there, so I axed it.


	9. Chapter 9

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, whatever. You know the shtick by now.

Arisa didn't say anything. So Suki had managed to say it… Normally, this would be an extremely happy moment for Arisa, but now it just made things more difficult. As wonderful as Suki was…Arisa's heart belonged to Suzuka. She knew this. Yet…she didn't cease to have feelings for Suki, either. "A-ai… Aishi…"

"It's okay. You don't have to say it. I…maybe it was too soon."

"No, it wasn't…you did nothing wrong, Suki-tan. It's my fault."

"'Your fault'? _You've_ done nothing wrong, Ari-chan!"

"…Yes I have."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not particularly, but it'll probably be worse if I don't."

"…That's all I need to hear."

"What?"

"You don't want to tell me, but you don't want to hide it from me either. I can only think of one possibility, and that's that there's…well, I won't say it in case I'm wrong—no, in case I'm _right_. Because the fact that you _don't_ want to hide this from me tells me that you still care about me, too. So…I won't make you say it."

"But wouldn't not knowing be even more painful?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I just don't want to hear it."

"I think you're putting too much meaning into this. Yeah, a first love seems like they'll be there forever, but…"

"…I know. I just didn't expect this to end so soon."

"It hasn't ended."

"Good."

* * *

><p>*The next day*<p>

Arisa answered her phone. "Well hello there, evil genius."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I know that you planned this. To make yourself the first one I ever spent the night with and make it so I can't get you out of my mind."

Suzuka laughed. "Well, the first part of that might be true…but I certainly couldn't have done the second thing. That's all you, Arisa-chan."

Arisa sighed. "I know, I know."

"So, I called to see how things went yesterday, but I guess I already have my answer."

"Don't be so hasty, Suzuka-chan. Suki-tan and I actually had a great day together. She was already waiting for me when I returned home, and we spent all day together. And she actually told me that she loved me. She's serious about this; she even came out to her boyfriend about her bisexuality."

"Must have crushed you to break up with her. Her too, for that matter."

"I didn't break up with her."

"I figured as much. I'm kind of jealous; you don't call _me_ 'Suzuka-tan'. Well, except for in the heat of passion." The second sentence was kind of muttered.

"It doesn't suit you. Even 'Suzuka-chan' is kind of a stretch for a proper lady such as yourself."

"I know you meant that as a compliment, Arisa-chan, but I'm still only 15. Being told that such girlish honorifics don't suit me is kind of depressing."

"Seriously? …Wait, what was that last part?" Suzuka just giggled in reply. "Well, I guess there is _one_ other thing I could call you…Suzuka."

Suzuka paused. "Can I come over to see you in person? Because that was…I really want to see you right now."

"I was hoping you would. Suki and I went shopping yesterday, and I kind of wanted to show off my new clothes for you."

Suzuka grinned. "Be right there, Arisa-tan!"

"…_When did _I_ become 'Arisa-tan'?"_

* * *

><p>"Hi Arisa-tan! Ah, you look so cute!" Suzuka squealed, wrapping her arms around Arisa.<p>

"Uh, thank you…"

"Is something wrong?"

"You're just not acting like yourself."

"Don't be like that, Ari-tan; you're one of the few people who I'll _let_ see this side of me."

"…I'm not entirely sure I like this side of you. Seriously, even Suki-tan doesn't call me 'Arisa-tan'."

"I thought she called you 'sempai'."

"We're not students at the same school anymore. So now I'm 'Arisa-chan'. Makes sense, right?" Suzuka nodded. "Well, come along; there are other outfits for you to see."

"You're going to change in front of me?" Suzuka asked, when Arisa led her into her room.

"Why wouldn't I? I'm an athlete, so I'm used to changing in front of other girls, and besides…it's not like there's anything you haven't seen." She grinned.

"True. And it's certainly nothing I wouldn't mind seeing again."

"Now _this_ is a side of you I _could_ get to like, Suzuka-chan."

"It's always the quiet ones who are the real perverts, you know. Hey, what a rip-off! You don't actually _need_ that! …No offense." And with that she started to remove Arisa's bra.

"Yes, thank you for pointing out how horribly flat-chested I am. Sorry I couldn't measure up to Hayate-san in _that _regard."

"You're still adorable, pancake breasts and all. You don't have to compete with anyone, okay?"

"O-okay." Arisa was blushing quite a bit, partly because of Suzuka's words and partly because Suzuka had removed the bra and was now massaging her breasts. "Uh…are you going to _let_ me finish modeling for you?"

"…Yeah, I guess. I'm kind of enjoying this right now."

Arisa couldn't help but laugh. "I've really had you pegged all wrong, haven't I?"

"Mm-hm," Suzuka replied. "Being around all of these strong, beautiful women for so long, I've had so many repressed sexual urges that are coming out now."

"What did I tell you about trying to do a seductive voice?"

"You said not to _moan_."

"Just…just be yourself, okay? God, I really hope you haven't been irreparably damaged by having had your first sexual experience with Hayate-chan." She finished getting dressed. "What do you think?"

"You look beautiful, of course. Now…" she paused to compose her thoughts, "let's see the next one."

"Nice save, but I can still tell that what you really meant was 'now take it off'."

"Sorry, Arisa-chan. I guess I haven't been able to get the other night out of my head, either."

Arisa put her arms around Suzuka. "…I'm sorry too. I've been a bit edgy, I suppose. I should know better than to expect you to be the same meek girl you always were, but…"

"It's okay," Suzuka said, nuzzling Arisa's neck. "I still love you." Were this conversation _actually_ going on in English, such an off-handed use of the word "love" would probably be a much bigger deal, but as noted before, Japanese has multiple words for love and the one Suzuka used was not "the big one".

"I…I love you, too." The one _Arisa_ used, on the other hand…was.

* * *

><p>CCX: So this chapter ends pretty much the same way the last one did. And after seemingly defying the running joke last chapter, I ended up keeping it alive after all, and with a <em>Ménage à 3<em> reference at that. Score! Cyberchao X, signing off.


	10. Chapter 10

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Running out of witty things to say.

"I…wow…" Suzuka said, a bit stunned. "Aren't you moving a bit fast?"

"We've known each other for years, Suzuka. Perhaps I didn't realize my feelings until you brought them to my attention, but…I don't really feel like I'm rushing into this at all."

Suzuka nodded. "And Makimaro-san?"

"What about her?"

"Do you love her?"

"I…I love her."

This time, however, the words were reversed, Suzuka's question using the stronger form and Arisa's reply using the weaker one. Since Suzuka already knew that Suki had told Arisa that she truly _loved_ her, she found that Arisa's failure to use this same word was quite telling. "Arisa…" She hugged the tomboyish girl close, wanting to do so much more, but at the same time feeling as though she shouldn't come on too strongly—even though the girl had just confessed her love to her. "Uh…I think you said you had more to model for me?"

Arisa smiled. "Yeah, that's right…" She turned away from Suzuka as she stripped down.

"Why so shy all of a sudden?" Suzuka asked teasingly.

"I'm not being shy. Just showing you my better side." Suzuka couldn't disagree; Arisa's backside was quite attractive, and she seemed to be posing somewhat for Suzuka, turning to prominently display the well-toned lats—and glutes. The latter were still on display when she'd finished getting dressed, being tightly hugged by her pants. (CCX: That's "trousers" to you non-Americans. Yes, I'm well aware that in British English, "pants" are an undergarment.) "Judging by your silence, I take it you agree?"

"You don't _have_ a bad side…but yes, that is…very impressive." She found herself unable to resist copping a feel, only to find herself rather confused. "That shouldn't be possible."

"What shouldn't be possible?"

"Those pants. Clothes that tight-fitting shouldn't be able to exist, at least not with that fabric. How do you get them on?"

"There are multiple clips holding the waist shut; the opening's large enough unclipped for me to get on. Barely. I actually learned quite a bit about 'impossible' outfits yesterday. Suki-tan bought this one top that has a zipper in the front that starts just below her breasts and goes _down_. Lets her frame her body to a ridiculously high degree. I'm kind of jealous because I don't _need_ tricks like that, but…it looked so cool." (CCX: If Tetsuya Nomura hasn't made this top yet, he needs to do so immediately.)

"Yeah, well, I don't need anything weird like that on _either_ end, so…"

"…So what? You're beautiful, Suzuka. I should be jealous of you."

"Of _what?_"

"Of…well, just _you_. I definitely get what you're saying, but my 'beauty' will fade eventually. Hopefully not for a _long_ time, not if I can help it, but no one can stay that fit forever. You'll be pretty forever, though."

"'Forever' is such a long time. Until death, maybe."

"So literal." Suzuka just smiled back at her. "Okay, last one."

"The fashion show's over so soon?"

"I thought you said you'd rather see me out of them anyway," Arisa teased.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't _mind_…but I like you for more than just your body."

"Glad to hear you say that. We should try to keep things normal between us."

"Does that mean you don't want to be my girlfriend?"

"…Of course I do, but…I already have a girlfriend, whom I also love, and… and there are other reasons that being more than just friends isn't right for us at the moment."

"You're cute when you worry about others. Always have been. I guess… I guess I've been a little jealous of Nanoha-chan for longer than I realized."

Arisa paused, blouse still open. "Of Nanoha-chan?"

"Back when she first became a magical girl. Before we found out about that part of her life. We just knew that _something_ was wrong, and she wouldn't open up about it. And of course, you got mad at her like you always do, because you were worried about her. We both were. But…that was the first time I really saw that side of you."

"We were so young then. Surely you couldn't have…"

"And why couldn't I have? _You_ seemed to feel that way about _her_ then. And of course, we all know now that _she_ fell madly in love with Fate-chan the moment she first laid eyes upon her, which was around the same time. But, no, not then. Not right away. At the time, I just liked seeing a softer side of you. But since then, I thought about that side of you, and I wished that you'd shown that type of concern for me."

"And what reason would I have to do so? Unlike our other friends, _you_ are not a magical girl who frequently jumps into dangerous situations with reckless abandon."

"That's harsh. Fate-chan and Haya-chan most certainly do not jump into dangerous situations with reckless abandon. Although I get the feeling that Haya-chan _might_ if she didn't have Signum-san always watching over her, not to mention Vita-chan to do the reckless stuff for her."

Arisa laughed. "You know _exactly_ who I was talking about. You're right; I shouldn't have grouped all of them together."

"…I worry about her too. Nanoha-chan gets so excited about using her powers to help people, but one of these days she's going to overdo it and get herself hurt."

"So? You haven't commented on my last outfit."

Suzuka was all too happy to oblige Arisa's desire to change the subject. "You already know what I'm going to say."

"Then say it."

"You look beautiful, Arisa-chan." Then she started to undo the blouse.

* * *

><p>"So what would happen if my breasts actually <em>did<em> grow?" Arisa asked. "You seem awfully fond of these little ones."

"You know I'll love you no matter what." This time it was the real deal.

Arisa was pleased to hear it. "Suzuka…"

* * *

><p>CCX: G-d I suck so much at slice of life, which is where this theoretically should be headed. Let's head on to the next significant event.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: You know the routine by now.

CCX: I'm amazed at how quickly time flies by. I had such a large buffer versus the real calendar, and now I don't. Just been so busy lately…

…Anyway, yeah. Here we go.

*April—first day of high school*

"_They really should open the doors early on the first day,"_ thought the overwhelmed teacher in charge of monitoring the halls, as a crush of first-years swarmed to find their class assignments. _"Or perhaps just send _them_ advance notifications."_ Second- and third-years were in the same-lettered class as the previous year unless otherwise notified, which would usually only occur if there was a _severe_ problem with two students being together or, far more commonly (though still fairly infrequently), multiple students transferred away in between years and one student needed to be moved in order to balance out the class sizes.

Arisa and Suzuka were disappointed to learn that they were not in the same class. Suzuka was in Class 1-A, and Arisa in Class 1-D. "Well, it could be worse. At least we have the same lunch period." Due to sheer numbers there were two lunch periods; A-K classes had the first one while those designated L and above had the second. (This was an even division when first instituted, but there hadn't been a Class V for a few years.) They headed their separate ways.

"Well, at least there are a couple of familiar faces," Arisa said. "Funny running into you again after we barely talked at all throughout junior high." (CCX: If you _can_ reuse OCs, there is no good reason not to do so—although I'll admit, I had created a first name for Kaburagi when she first appeared and now have no memory of what it was, since the need never came up. I suppose it might _still_ never come up, but it'll bother me.)

"Yeah, it's not like we've got a good chance of keeping the same classmates after changing over. I'm all for making new friends, but I'm glad to see someone I can talk to that isn't a _complete_ stranger," Kaburagi replied.

Arisa opened her mouth to protest, as there was another of their junior high classmates in Class 1-D, but remembered her last conversation with Kaburagi and changed into "concerned" mode. "That's the guy? …Wow, that's rough. Does he _know_ your feelings and not return them, or does he just not know?"

"Not so loud. No, he doesn't know…I can't tell him. He's already got a girlfriend…and she was a close friend of mine."

"_Was?_"

"She swore she was just trying to help me out, gauge the situation for me, and things went wrong…but she could've turned him down. Ah, class is about to start… Talk to you later, Bannings-san."

* * *

><p>Suzuka, on the other hand, had no familiar faces at all in her class. <em>"Just my luck,"<em> she thought, _"more guys. Looks like I might be tested in a hurry…"_ The class was about two-thirds male, and Suzuka could see that many of them were sizing up the girls in their class and that she had generally been judged favorably.

She wasn't the only one who had noticed this fact. "Looks like you're going to be the 'popular' girl in this class? Shinamori Kanna," she introduced herself. (CCX: They _do_ introduce themselves last name first, right?)

"Ah…pleased to meet you, Shinamori-san. I'm Tsukimura Suzuka. And yeah, I kind of noticed that the boys are staring at me…"

"You don't sound very comfortable with that."

"Well, it can definitely be a hassle. Not to mention that it invites jealousy from the other girls… case in point this conversation."

"…" Shinamori paused. "…I'm not jealous of you." The last two words sounded almost like an add-on. "Ah, I just wanted to be friends. Is it shallow of me to try to seek out and befriend the popular girls?"

"I'm no 'popular' yet. And I'd be happy to be your friend, Shinamori-san." A few of the boys grumbled discontentedly and turned their gaze elsewhere; Suzuka noticed the former but not the latter.

On the way to lunch, however, she got her explanation. One of the boys from her class approached her with a…rather unexpected message. "Tsukimura-san? I just wanted to give you a heads-up…about Shinamori-san."

"She _seemed_ nice enough. Is that not the case, Kokuro-san?"

"She…may not be after what she said she was after. As far as I know they're _just_ rumors, but she's turned down every guy that's asked her out and some of the girls at our junior high have made some accusations…"

"It's okay; you can say it." _"Is it _me_? Am _I_ the lesbian magnet? I was the first to meet Hayate-chan, after all… Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan had already fought the Wolkenritter by then, so I thought it must have been Nanoha-chan, but…"_

"You sound…oddly unperturbed."

"Some of my best friends are lesbians." This came out right away, and it was true—Nanoha and Arisa were her two closest friends dating back to the first grade, and Hayate was a very good friend as well, and all three were unabashedly homosexual. "I can assure you that they're no worse at respecting boundaries than straight people are." Exactly what "boundaries" would be set Suzuka wasn't sure, but thinking about the notoriously perverted Hayate refraining from molesting her under the mistaken belief that she didn't swing that way, she figured that it was unlikely that much harm could come from it either way. Now it was just a matter of meeting up with Arisa before anyone could interpose themselves.

"_Anyone_ else_"_, she corrected, as it became obvious that contrary to what he said, Kokuro was using this as a way to get closer to her and would likely try to join her.

"Hey, Suzuka!" a voice called out. "I saved you a seat!"

"…_Thank you, Arisa."_ The table was already mostly full, and Suzuka was all too happy to settle in beside her best friend and part-time lover. "So, Ari-chan, how's your class? Make any new friends?"

"More like I made an old friend. A couple of our junior high classmates are in Class D with me, and I had actually had a nice little chat with Kaburagi-san at graduation anyway so we decided to be friends."

"I've…certainly gotten to know a lot of people. I think most of them want to get to know me a bit better."

"_Male_ people?"

"…Mostly. One of them 'warned' me that the girl who was so eager to be my friend is rumored to be a lesbian." Suzuka lowered her voice. "So should I go for it?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because, well…_us_, you know?"

"You want my blessing? Remember, I _do_ still have a girlfriend. My only concern is that if you found this out from _someone else,_ it means you could be ruining your chances to pass as straight—and last I remembered, you still were trying to work through your feelings."

"I think I'm starting to get a fairly good idea of what my feelings are…but then again, at this point in our lives monogamy is overrated. Let's try some different things and see how it all plays out."

"Sounds like a plan. Don't worry, I'm not the jealous type… And besides, I know that I'm the one you love anyway."

* * *

><p>The same could not necessarily be said about her <em>own<em> girlfriend. Arisa was surprised to find a missed call from Suki on her phone when she turned it on after school—and seeing as how their schools let out at roughly the same time, Suki must have called _right_ after getting out of class. Arisa listened to the voicemail, but before she could even erase the message, she got another incoming call. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Suki-tan," she answered. "Don't worry, you haven't been replaced."

"There's no cute sempai that's caught your eye?"

"Not yet. I hadn't really been looking, though. I'm perfectly happy with the girl I've got." It took a conscious effort not to pluralize "girl".

It also took a conscious effort not to bring up the fact that Suzuka might have found a potential girlfriend of her own, because Arisa realized that Suki _didn't even know_ that Suzuka was also either bi or a flat-out lesbian—and if Arisa had understood Suzuka at lunchtime, it seemed like she was leaning towards the latter.

"Aw, you're so sweet. I don't deserve someone as good as you."

"…And what does _that_ mean? Don't tell me _you've_ found an adorable first-year who idolizes her Makimaro-sempai the way you did to me!"

Suki laughed nervously. "No! Well, not _exactly_…I mean, Himiya-chan _is_ adorable, and she _does_ seem to idolize me, but only in that she wishes she could be like me—tall, pretty, popular, _handsome boyfriend…_"

"…Right. I forgot that just because you let your boyfriend know about us doesn't mean that your bisexuality is common knowledge."

"Now you get it. Seriously, if I had found a replacement for you, why would I be desperately calling you to make sure I haven't been replaced as soon as I got the chance?"

"You could've been calling in hopes that you _had_ been replaced so that you could pursue your new relationship free of any guilt. …But I'm glad you weren't."

"Don't be too sure of that," a voice whispered in Arisa's ear.

"Shinamori-san!"

"…Oops. Sorry, Tsukimura-san…I guess the cat's out of the bag. I'd understand if you didn't want to be friends with me now that you know I'm a lesbian…"

"Is something going on on your end?" Suki asked.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just Suzuka-chan and one of her new friends. …We didn't end up in the same class," she added, before Suki could even ask the question.

"Sorry to hear that. Well, if you've got friends with you, I won't take up any more of your time. Talk to you later."

"Later."

Arisa turned to Suzuka in time to hear her ask, "Why would you think that you being a lesbian would change anything when I only found out because you couldn't help yourself upon finding out that my best friend is also a lesbian?" Shinamori didn't have an answer. (CCX: It seems really weird to me switching between referring to characters by their first name and by their last name within the _narration_, but it seems as though the narration kind of follows the main characters' familiarity level with the characters, which is why Suki is the only one whom the narration generally calls by her first name—even though only _one_ of the two main characters does the same.)

"'Couldn't help herself,' huh? Hey, Suzuka…looks like you found yourself a keeper. With a little luck, she might even be a halfway decent replacement for Hayate-chan…"

"Arisa!" The blonde girl found herself being slapped by her best friend.

"So my instincts were correct. I _thought_ you looked awfully uncomfortable with all of those guys' attentions."

"Only because there were so many of them. I _am_ interested in boys," she said, not entirely sure she believed it.

"And this 'Hayate-chan'?"

"Just a friend. A…close friend, who was considerably _closer_ with the rest of our group of friends. Arisa-chan included, though not as much so as the other two."

"…But not you."

"No, not me, because she didn't want to jeopardize our friendship."

"…So then it sounds like you were the token straight girl in a group of lesbians. Weren't you ever…_curious_?"

"…Okay, fine, you got me. Yes, I've been…_assuaging my curiosity_ lately." She grabbed Arisa and pulled her close. To any onlookers, there was nothing particularly damning about the gesture, which could've easily been just friendly, but to the girl who had heard what had preceded it, the implication was unmistakable.

And yet she smiled. "I see. So, then…Arisa-san," she said hesitantly, not wanting to be rude but having not been properly introduced to the girl she was addressing and having only the name given by a best friend who didn't even always bother with honorifics to go on, "is my job to take care of Tsukimura-san for you, or to get your current girlfriend out of the way so you'll be free to be with her yourself?"

Arisa hesitated, briefly considering the second proposal, before Suzuka cut in, "Your _job_ is to _discreetly_ allow me an alternative while I continue to project a _public_ image of heterosexuality. You're only the fifth person to learn otherwise, and like I said before three of the other four are no longer," she mentally edited what she was about to say, which was "on this planet", and didn't show the slightest hesitation as she finished, "in this country."

"…I think I can accept that. Now, I'm not _usually_ in the habit of calling people I just met by their first names, so unless you'd like to get 'better acquainted with me' tonight I'm going to need a proper introduction."

"Right," Arisa said, having not even registered that Shinamori had addressed her by her first name until she had brought up this point. "I'm Arisa Bannings."

For a split second Shinamori was surprised, hearing the name she'd believed to be a given name come out first, but upon hearing the full name she realized it was in western order. "Bannings-san, is it? That's not a Japanese surname."

"I'm half-Japanese." (CCX: Not sure what canon has to say about this—I know that she does use English in her speech in the original Japanese and that the English dub switches it around so that there are some Japanese words used, but it doesn't really seem to say anything about her heritage.) "I believe the custom is to introduce yourself as well."

"Heheh…right. Shinamori Kanna."

* * *

><p>CCX: Hmm…perhaps I shouldn't have put an embedded AN so close to the end of a chapter. So anyway, when I started this chapter it seemed to merely be a lack of a buffer, but I'm pretty sure I'm downright overdue by now. But I'm still going! And I've officially reached the point where I need a separate document to keep track of all of my OCs, an honor previously only bestowed upon a certain other work that lacked copyrighted characters completely. :-(

…But enough about that. There's one other thing I have to curse out…and that is that there's a 15-character limit on usernames on Twitter, when my username on the site which eventually led to me breaking down and joining Twitter is 20 characters long. I'm sure you'd all recognize the username, since it was based off of a fanfiction I was working on at the time I joined up there _and_ I then turned around and used it as a subtitle for that fanfic's sequel. So since "ScarletDevilRhapsody" is five characters too long, you can follow me at "ScarletDevilCCX", which is _just_ short enough to fit. I'll be tweeting whenever I post a new chapter, although I can't guarantee that my other tweets won't seem like they're a completely different person because the site where I'm "ScarletDevilRhapsody" is not really somewhere that you'd readily associate me with. Well, until then, this is CCX, signing off.


	12. Chapter 12

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't really _need_ a disclaimer by the 12th chapter, do I? Hell, TV Tropes says that disclaimers on fanfiction are completely pointless in the first place.

*late April*

"Hey Tatsu-kun, it seems like you haven't been hanging out with us as much this semester. Something up?"

Tatsuke Hayama just laughed. "I guess I've just been spending more time with Makimaro-chan. It seems like she's had more time for me this year than she did last year." _"Probably because her girlfriend is in high school now,"_ he thought, though he didn't say this out of respect to Suki's wishes.

"Yes, thank you for reminding me that you're dating the most beautiful girl in our year. I'd totally forgotten."

"There's no need for sarcasm, Kengo."

"Dude, you know I hate that name!" "Kengo" was a mashup of the given name Kenichi and the family name Keigo.

"Then lighten up. You _shouldn't_ be hurting for a date if you so desired." Kenichi barely opened his mouth when Tatsuke continued, "Yes, I know you _say_ you want a girlfriend, but you don't actually take any steps to get one."

"Maybe you could see about setting me up with one of Makimaro-san's friends?"

"…I'll see what I can do."

* * *

><p>CCX: Yes, this chapter just opened with a discussion between a completely new character and one that had been unnamed in all previous appearances, with no canon characters actually being referenced by name. That's where this story has gone. Besides, Suki's practically the third main character in this story.<p>

* * *

><p>Suzuka's little experimentations had been going swimmingly so far. Since the school year began, she had gone on five dates, with five different guys. Some had been outright terrible, while others had been okay but not good enough to warrant a second date. And then there was Kokuro. Suzuka wasn't sure if she wanted a second date with him or not. He was kind of socially awkward on their first date, but he was nice. <em>He<em> didn't seem interested in a second date, though, because he had come to the conclusion—a conclusion that Suzuka had also considered, hence her hesitance to ask him for a second date—that perhaps they should just be friends. And they did seem to have a lot of common interests. But "common interests" was also how Suzuka had met _Hayate_, who later turned out to be a touchy-feely perverted lesbian. Speaking of which…

…Shinamori. They hadn't quite started calling each other by their first names yet (well, Shinamori sometimes called Suzuka by her first name in private, but not in public), but they had begun using the "-chan" honorific. Suzuka enjoyed her company, and she managed to control herself fairly well. But _not_ completely, which much to Suzuka's dismay led to her getting _even more_ come-ons due to the fact that she was now perceived as kind of innocent, too innocent to realize that her friend's actions were anything other than friendly.

Arisa found this hilarious. In her opinion, Suzuka was quite devious—more ingenious than ingenuous. Certainly this could work to her advantage.

Also, it was time for club activities to start. Suzuka wanted to join the Library Club, but of course she'd been roped into being class rep so she was stuck with Student Council. Not that this was something she really objected to; at the very least, it fit with the new image she'd developed. Deep down, she still felt like the same timid girl she'd always been, but she'd spent so much time around powerful girls and diplomacy and administration were her best shot at being powerful in her own way.

She wasn't the only one taking this view. "What are you staring at?"

"I, uh, I wasn't…"

"You'll have to excuse Miki; she's a bit sensitive about her appearance. I'm Kumaya Izei from class 1-N; this is Ichirei Miki from 1-O." Suzuka thought that this seemed oddly appropriate, but was afraid to say so.

* * *

><p>CCX: Back when I was writing <em>Dream<em>, I tried to come up with names that _sounded_ Japanese but were likely completely made up. Now that I've had more exposure to a variety of Japanese names, though, I find myself trying to go with real names without referencing any one work in particular. Of course, I still find it better to go with a name that I haven't seen in any anime/manga before…but then I'm left with the task of trying to make sure the given name sounds like the proper gender. Hopefully Izei doesn't sound too feminine; I wanted to go with a Z in there somewhere though I found that my love affair with the K just can't seem to end.

Also, these two are refugees from another "situation" within my mind. Characters in these things rarely actually receive names and these two were no exception until I decided to work them into here. I apologize for being so blatant about what Miki's main defining characteristic is—namely that she looks exactly the same at age 15 as she did at age 10.

* * *

><p>"Geez, Izei-kun, I was just teasing her. No need to rush to my defense."<p>

"Sorry, Miki-san."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Tsukimura Suzuka, from Class 1-A." She found Kumaya's choice of honorifics to be quite interesting; the two of them evidently had some history, but after initially using no honorific at all, he went to the more respectful "-san". Perhaps he was afraid that a more affectionate honorific would hurt her feelings? She evidently had a bit of a complex about her size and childish appearance. There wasn't much time to continue conversing, however, as more people were arriving and the first student council meeting was about to start.

After it was over, Suzuka approached the diminutive girl. "That was…quite an impressive display of passion there, Ichirei-san."

"I can't tell if you're making fun of me or not."

"I'm not. You remind me of one of my childhood friends; she moved away a few months ago." Actually, Ichirei's personality was more similar to Arisa's, but once she got done being defensive about her elementary-school appearance and started applying her passion to other matters, she seemed the very image of a young Nanoha.

"Don't you mean a few years ago?"

"Okay, seriously, you have to stop obsessing about your appearance. Yes, I'll admit that at first I was thrown by the sight of what looked like a little kid in a high school uniform, but by acting so immature about it you'll only make matters worse."

Ichirei laughed. "You certainly have an interesting outlook, Tsukimura-san. I guess I misjudged you."

"Eh? And what would have led you to make a judgment about me?"

She blushed. "N-nothing."

Suzuka sighed. "Ichirei-san…I get it. I barely recognize myself these days. In grade school and middle school, I was always a shy bookworm, mostly just staying with a few close friends, and suddenly I get to high school and I've become popular. I only volunteered to be class rep because nobody else was volunteering and I knew that if no one volunteered, I'd end up being the one chosen anyway. But in a way, I think this reflects somewhat well on the male half of the student body. I haven't exactly been blessed by puberty myself, you know."

"I hadn't noticed. But that could be just my own bitterness. You're…probably about as well-developed as my little sister. It's so unfair; she's _12_ and she could easily pass for 14, while I'm 15 and haven't grown a bit in five years. I'm afraid I'm never going to start growing…isn't puberty supposed to cause _some_ kind of physical change that's outwardly evident?"

"Maybe you just haven't—"

"I have. Oh, and you can call me Miki-san, or if that would make you uncomfortable, Ichi-san."

"Okay, Miki-san. Then I guess you can call me Suzuka-san. So you're not a 'late bloomer', and yet you haven't shown any other signs of maturing."

"Kind of limits my romantic options. I envy you."

"Yeah…Kumaya-san really seems to like you, though."

"Not like that. We've been friends for awhile, I guess, but just because he doesn't treat me like the little girl that I look like doesn't mean he likes me _that_ way."

"Must have been my imagination, then."

* * *

><p>CCX: Translating one of "those" interludes into actual fanfiction isn't as easy as it seems. This was not how it originally went.<p>

* * *

><p>Arisa, of course, was making herself involved with the athletic clubs. On this particular day, however, she had nothing to do with the softball team, which gave her time to swing by her former middle school and meet with a certain attractive second-year. "Ah, Arisa-chan!" Suki cried happily, bewildering a group of first-years. "I thought you'd be busy with club activities."<p>

"Not today, Suki-tan. Geez, you didn't tell me you'd developed an entire _fan club_."

"It's…kind of a new development."

"Sempai, who's _this?_"

Suki couldn't help but blush. "Ah, this is Arisa Bannings…a very special sempai of mine. She graduated this past year, but during our one year together she really took me under her wing." _"Among other places,"_ she thought.

"Ay, surrounded by your fan club again? Maybe they can make themselves marginally useful; Kengo's been bugging me to try to help him get a girl and suggested I see if you had any friends you could set him up with." Half of the girls were swooning at the arrival of Tatsuke.

"Why do you even bother with that guy?" Suki asked.

"I have no idea."

"You two go have fun. I'll babysit these girls; I figure that after seeing _you_ react to me the way you did they're bound to think I must be something awesome," Arisa said quietly.

"But you're here!" Suki protested. "I want to spend time with _you_! Uh, no offense, Tatsu-kun."

"Uh, none taken…I think." Tatsuke suddenly realized that he'd made a mistake a few months prior. He had to admit that he'd been a bit surprised when Suki had told him that her "sarcastic confession" in early February was in fact completely truthful and that she'd been getting intimate with the captain of the girls' basketball team; this confirmed that he had indeed identified the wrong girl as captain. "You take all the time you need to catch up with your sempai."

"So understanding…wah, sempai!"

"Ah, Ari-chan!"

"Sorry if that hurt, Suki-tan. Figured the best way to get away from those fangirls was to just run like hell."

"Y-you're probably right, Ari-chan…and you _are_ a quicker runner than I am, so I appreciate the help."

"But admit it; you love the attention, don't you?"

Suki blushed. "Y-yeah…I don't really mind having them around, but I definitely don't want them seeing just _how_ special my Ari-sempai is to me."

"So I take it that the one who was so quick to ask who I was with a tone of voice suggesting that I was some sort of interloper trying to steal her sempai away was Himiya-san?"

"Yeah, that was Katsu-tan…although she's more of a dog than a cat."

"…'Katsu-tan'? Are you _sure_ I haven't been replaced?"

"Like I said, she's more like a fiercely protective guard dog."

"She _is_ pretty cute, though. Surely you must be tempted to try to convert her?"

"You make it sound like I'm trying to lure someone over to the Dark Side."

"In a manner of speaking."

"I swear that I have no thoughts of 'corrupting' that sweet, beautiful little girl."

"…And?"

"…And would be willing to defend her innocence to the death," Suki conceded. "I'll have to find one of the other girls to send after Tatsu-kun's weird friend. I could tell that a lot of those girls seemed excited at the prospect of being set up with an upperclassman, and I'm sure that Katsura-chan will be unhappy if she's not chosen because she'll think it means she's no longer my favorite, but…I can't bear the thought of a boy laying a hand on that porcelain skin of hers."

"Now I know I've been replaced," Arisa said with mock bitterness.

"You have not!" Suki swore.

"Yeah, yeah. You say you don't have thoughts of trying to corrupt her, but you don't want any boys getting near her. You can't have it both ways."

"Just because I don't want to do things to her doesn't mean I don't want her all to myself. The relationship I have with her now is all I need."

"Which is?"

"Just a bit of light contact…an occasional stroke of the face. She's a bit too innocent to realize the nature of my affections."

"A bit of…_petting_, you might say?"

"I guess you could say that."

"And you called her a loyal guard dog before."

"That I did…" Suki wasn't sure where Arisa was going with this.

"So what you really want is for her to be your bitch."

Suki turned bright red as she tried not to laugh. "Arisa!"

"You have to admit that was pretty good."

"You're horrible."

"Still, I notice that you're already on first-name basis with her."

"Well, even she realizes that I feel some sort of love towards her. I wouldn't be surprised if she asked to call me 'onee-sama' soon, though she hasn't yet."

"It amazes me how fawning these little ones are. You were a first-year when I met you, but you were nothing like this."

"Maybe it's _you_ who was nothing like me, Miss Brash Lesbian Jock."

"…So if I were more womanly, you might have been just like them?"

"Well, no, not me, because I have too much self-respect to be a sycophant. But yeah, you're not really the type to draw a fan club. Not that it makes you any less attractive to me."

"I'll keep that in mind. There's a pitcher on our team that I certainly wouldn't mind catching for, if you know what I mean."

"Just know that if you replace me, you will be responsible for the corruption of an adorable innocent young girl."

"Just a minute ago you said that you'd fiercely protect her innocence, and now I'm the only thing keeping you from taking it away yourself?"

"All I can say is, she's the perfect height."

Arisa looked at her ever-growing girlfriend. Suki was right; she'd merely have to approach Himiya at the right angle and hug her tight, and the first-year would get a faceful of Suki's breasts.

Suki was clearly not someone to be fucked with.

* * *

><p>"So, Su—kimura-chan," Shinamori asked, "how was your first student council meeting?"<p>

"Interesting. I met a girl who looks like she's about ten."

"Itty-rei?"

"You know her? Wait, people called her that? That's so rude!"

"No ruder than she is."

"Well, yeah, I kind of got the feeling that she's insecure about her lack of height and figure, but she's actually not so bad. So just what had _you_ so hot and bothered?"

"…You could tell?"

"I've spent years around Arisa, not to mention Nanoha. I can tell when someone's been exerting themselves."

"Yeah, well, I'm a cheerleader. What? Don't give me that look! Just because I'm a lesbian, I can't be a cheerleader?"

"Well, at the very least I would think that the other cheerleaders would be uncomfortable around you."

"Like I care. Ah, how much I love seeing those girls in their cheerleading uniforms."

* * *

><p>CCX: Hmm…now this seems oddly familiar…I do believe I've written on this subject before. Well, it's past my usual self-imposed deadline and this chapter actually ended up pretty long, so this is Cyberchao X, signing off.<p>

CC: You know, you really should go back to _Conn. A&M_ one of these days…


	13. Chapter 13

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Whatever…

*mid-May*

"I take it you already have a date to this school dance," Arisa said.

"Surprisingly, no. I don't know if they were too nervous or what; maybe more recently they've figured that I already have one," Suzuka replied.

"Really. I'd have never guessed that I'd have a date to the dance before you did. Maybe I should direct his boyfriend to _you_."

"You have a date? …Wait, what was that you just said?"

"Eh…on second thought, maybe _I _should take his boyfriend and direct _him_ to you. You'd make a better 'beard' than me…though I guess I'm doing better than I thought at not making it blatantly obvious."

"…So your 'date' is a gay boy?"

"Yeah, I was surprised when it happened, too. I was just about to turn him down, tell him that I was a lesbian, and he stopped me and said 'I know. Just tell me who to have my boyfriend ask.' I guess the school's policy on same-sex couples isn't exactly tolerant, so gay and lesbian couples tend to pair up for 'double dates'. Of course, while dates from other schools _are _allowed, I felt kind of awkward having one of them ask Suki-tan. They're second-years, so it'd be a _three_-year difference for them; there isn't even the 'started going out when they were first-year/third-year' excuse like there is with Suki-tan and me."

"Maybe you should steer him in Shina-san's direction."

"Who, me?" Shinamori asked, surprising Arisa and Suzuka. "If this is about that dance, don't worry about finding me a date. I played it cool enough with the first guy who asked, made him _think_ there was a chance I'd say no…but of course I couldn't risk not getting asked again. Turns out it wasn't an issue; I've had to turn down a few offers since then."

"And here I thought that your reputation had followed you here."

"There are still some whispers every so often, but most of those who didn't go to junior high with me believe them to be baseless rumors. Being a cheerleader certainly helps."

"I thought you weren't ashamed of who you are," Arisa said.

"Oh, I'm not. But I find that the locker room is a bit different when you think that everyone there is straight than when there's a known lesbian in the room. You understand that, don't you, Bannings-san?"

"…Yeah, I suppose I do. I hardly remember what that's actually _like_, but…I do seem to remember the first-years wondering why the second-years seemed so shy around their captain in the locker room."

"Ari-chan…I thought you said that it _wasn't_ an open secret here."

"It isn't…although all of the girls do know now."

"…Spill it, Bannings-san; I know you're still committed to your junior high girlfriend, so if you've got an available teammate, I want to know."

"Aside from the battery, there are few relationships in softball more important than that of a double-play combination. When a shortstop and second baseman have really good chemistry, it makes the game run _so_ much more smoothly."

Shinamori just stared at her, wondering why she was talking about the game itself, but Suzuka smiled—in addition to starting for the jayvee team, Arisa had been getting into the varsity games as a late-inning defensive substitute at shortstop. Apparently she had "really good chemistry" with the starting second baseman, a third-year. "Not bad, Ari-chan."

"Heheh…well, it's not like we're doing anything serious. Haya-chan would do about as much just as a way of saying hello."

"That's still not bad."

"Is this friend of yours ever coming back to Japan?" Shinamori asked. "Because she really sounds like someone I'd like to meet."

Arisa and Suzuka looked at each other. "…Not really sure. Should be eventually, but not sure when."

* * *

><p>"Ah…this looks bad. Jugo-san has a particularly happy look on his face today and you have a particularly sad look on yours. He got a date to the dance and it isn't you, didn't he?"<p>

"Am I really that obvious?" Kaburagi replied. "It's not like I had any reason to think he _would_ ask me, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing."

"Didn't you say he already had a girlfriend?"

"They broke up. So I was still holding out hope."

"I'm really not sure what to say here. Even if I were to try to comfort you by saying that I don't have a date either, it wouldn't really mean anything because I've never gone to these things anyway. Also, it's not even true in the technical sense—officially, I'm going with Atsuya Watagami from class 2-F, and we're still trying to find someone to be his boyfriend's 'date' for the night."

"…Don't you actually _have_ a girlfriend?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure if the school would sign off on her, _especially_ not if it was a second- or third-year that was allegedly dating her."

"…why would it make a difference what year her date was in?"

"Plausibility. She was still in grade school when these guys were in junior high."

"You were doing a _first-year_ last year?" A sudden clear of the throat suddenly alerted Kaburagi that class was starting. She was absolutely mortified at blurting that out. Arisa returned to her seat.

* * *

><p>"Hello, Suzuka-san."<p>

"Hello, Miki-san. You're in high spirits."

"And why wouldn't I be?" She pretended to look angry, then laughed. "Honestly, I'm resigned to the fact that nobody's going to ask me to this dance, and I don't really care. Besides…can you imagine how tall a pair of high heels I'd need to be able to slow dance with a boy comfortably?"

"Tall enough that it wouldn't really be any more 'comfortable'," Suzuka agreed.

"So then does that mean you won't go with me?" Izei asked.

"Yes, it means I will not accept your pity invitation."

"It wasn't a pity invitation."

"Or your 'I can't get a real date so I'm asking a friend to go with me' invitation. Hey, Suzuka-san, do you have a date yet?" Suzuka shook her head. "You should ask Suzuka-san."

"I…no, I don't think…besides, Tsukimura-san is so popular; there are probably tons of guys who want that date more…"

"…And you wonder why you can't find a date. Whatever; have fun at the dance all by yourself."

After the meeting, Suzuka approached Izei. "…It wasn't because you couldn't find a date either, was it, Kumaya-san?"

"…It _wasn't_ pity. Yes, I do feel bad for her, and want her to be happy…"

"I could tell. I tried to suggest it to her shortly after we met, but she didn't see it. I could see it, though…you're really in love with her, aren't you?"

"…I always thought she was cute…and sweet, and funny. I had a little boyhood crush on her, but it was too early for boys and girls to date—we were only like 9 or 10 years old. But then by the time it _wasn't_ too early, she had, well, you know…'stopped growing up'. On the outside, anyway. So I guess I was concerned about how it would look if I was dating her. It _shouldn't_ have been a problem then, when we were only 12, but I was an idiot…and by the time I got over it, the gap between her apparent and actual age had grown further, and now here we are. I should've confessed earlier. Now she's got such a complex about her height—no, about her entire appearance—that she honestly doesn't believe that someone her own age could love her unless they were a lolicon."

"And if I were her, I'd be rightfully suspicious of a new suitor. But you've known her for how long?"

"9 years. We met on the first day of grade 1."

"More than long enough to know what lies beneath the childish appearance. Ask her again. Tell her what you told me."

"I…I can't…"

"If you don't, _I'll_ tell her what you told me. That you've loved her for a long time but were too afraid to say anything."

"…Come. I'm…I'm not sure if I can do this. Please, Tsukimura-san, be my support. Er…that is if it's not too far out of your way."

Suzuka shrugged. "If it is, I can just call home and have the limo pick me up."

"…and you're at a public school _why?_"

"Well I went to a public grade school, and then I wanted to stay with my friends when we got to junior high and they're not all as rich as my family is…" She realized that this wasn't really a great explanation anymore because Arisa _was_ from a rich family as well and Nanoha, Fate and Hayate were no longer on Earth. (Actual answer: Because the middle-class author is writing what he knows.)

* * *

><p>"Ah, Izei, what are you doing here…oh, and Suzuka-san too?"<p>

Izei said nothing. "Go on, Kumaya-san," Suzuka urged.

"Yeah, get it over with," said the girl who was standing next to Miki. "You've only been wanting to do this since you were my age, after all." Suzuka thought that the girl didn't look to be that much younger than them, which made this seem like an odd statement.

"Will you can it, Sakura-_kun_?" The girl immediately got indignant, and Suzuka suddenly remembered Miki saying she had a 12-year-old sister who looked to be about 14—which matched the age that Izei had said he was when he'd first wanted to ask Miki out.

"Hey, hey, Sakura-chan's only 12, remember? No flirting with my baby sister, Izei!"

"So then she's always been this oblivious?" Suzuka whispered to Sakura.

"No; it's grown as she hasn't. We haven't met, have we?"

"No, though Miki-san mentioned she had a younger sister. I'm Tsukimura Suzuka; I'm in Student Council with your sister and Kumaya-san."

"Pleased to meet you. Ichirei Sakura, though you've already been given both of those names."

"It's not her I'm interested in, Miki-san—no, _Miki_. I asked you before and I'm asking you again: come to the school dance with me."

"That didn't sound much like a question, Izu-kun," Sakura pointed out. (A/N: Ah, the perils of writing transliterated Japanese. That "u" pops out of nowhere because that's how the lack of a vowel is represented when writing Japanese words out in the Roman alphabet—phonetically, Sakura is more or less calling him "Izkun".)

"No, it didn't. Maybe that'll be enough to convince your sister that I'm serious."

"…Is _that_ why you've stuck with me all this time? And here I thought it was because we were friends."

"…" It took a moment for Izei to realize what Miki was accusing him of. "…See, this is exactly why I didn't confess sooner! I was afraid that people would think I was a lolicon, and wouldn't you know it, now you think I'm a lolicon! …I blame you for making me do this." The last remark was directed at Suzuka, and he walked off.

"Kumaya-san, wait!" Suzuka started after him, then turned back toward the Ichirei sisters. "I can't believe you, Miki-chan! Here you are worried about how others see you, and you just chased off the one guy who's known you long enough to see past that! Yes, yes, we know: you're pissed off at the fact that at age 15 you still look like a 10-year-old girl, and you're worried that only a lolicon could fall in love with a '10-year-old-girl' regardless of how old she actually is. But you know who else could fall in love with a 10-year-old girl? A _10-year-old boy_. Your sister suggested that he's been wanting to ask you out since the two of you were 12, which is what he told me, but he said that he'd had a crush on you before that, when you were still too young to actually think about dating. He's loved you since you actually _were_ as young as you look."

"…He said all that?"

"Well, I might've given his words a bit more passion, but yeah, he said he had a crush on you when you two were about 9 or 10, but by the time it was 'time' to start thinking about dating, you had already stopped growing and he wussed out. Again, my words, though he did call himself an idiot."

"…He _is_ an idiot."

"For falling in love with a girl who can't seem to age?"

"No, for not acting on his feelings and screw the consequences. You're right…I had resigned myself to my unhappiness, figured that the only type of people who would love me weren't the type of people I'd want to love. But I'm only human…I can't stop myself from desiring that tenderness…"

"It could've been worse, onee-san. You could've kept him _waiting_ for the past three years. The anticipation would've been hard enough regardless, but the fact that you _still_ look like a little kid now would make it brutal…not to mention an ironic reversal of the older man 'waiting for' the girl to grow up."

"Eh? What do you mean?" Suzuka asked.

"Our father imposed a strict 'no dating before high school' policy upon us," Miki explained. "Not that it's ever been an issue for me…Sakura-chan, on the other hand…"

"And yo—"

"Stop that question right there, Tsukimura-san," Sakura interrupted. "Trust me, you don't want to ask that question, or any related questions."

"She got what she deserved," Miki said, a sudden coldness to her voice.

"Stop that. You can't really believe that, can you?"

"You weren't the one who…" she trailed off. "This is why I don't talk about that, _especially_ not around you. You think things were merely very bad…but they were even worse."

"I…think I'll be seeing you," Suzuka said nervously, sensing the tension in the air.

* * *

><p>CCX: Whoa. Think things just got very dramatic. Let's cut to someone else…after all, this chapter has yet to have an obligatory appearance by Suki!<p>

* * *

><p>"So I was thinking maybe we could go out Friday night. You available?" Suki asked.<p>

"Actually, there's this school dance…I'd have just invited you if I could, but they don't allow same-sex couples and my 'date' and his boyfriend are second-years so I don't think I could get him to bring you as _his_ 'date'."

"Ah. 'His boyfriend', huh? Why even bother? You're certainly rich enough that the extra cost for a single wouldn't make a difference for you."

* * *

><p>CCX: It's true. Back at our school, the "split up a couple and use them to bring another couple" trick was used not to get same-sex couples into homecoming at couples' prices, but more frequently at Junior-Senior Prom, where a couples ticket actually <em>was<em> fully twice the cost of a single ticket and therefore there would be no monetary advantage, to smuggle sophomores in. Or was that just in another fanfiction I wrote? …Yeah, that totally wasn't something that actually happened at my school; that was a scene from season 4 of _Park Place, _which I probably shouldn't have even bothered mentioning because it was this self-indulgent thing that ran for a long time in my head but was purposely never put into writing. It "ran" for two self-contained seasons as a summer space-filler before taking an odd turn toward becoming a high school drama (though season 4 managed to tie some of the characters from season 1 back into its canon), ending with a rather shitty season 6 after the main characters had gone off to college, and while it averted the usual "all the characters end up at the same college" shtick it was still probably at its best when the shifting storylines shifted back to the characters that were still in high school, and even that wasn't great. I think that its "spin-off" would probably still be running, but I completely lost track of the "network schedule" and the document was among those chewed up by the computer crash.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, but I kind of like this. Besides, while I'm not actively trying to cover up the fact that I'm a lesbian, it's not exactly common knowledge yet."<p>

"So then are you able to get the girls in the locker room to be as comfortable around you as they would be around a straight girl?"

"You sound like Shinamori-san. And no, _they_ know the truth. Also I'm not the only lesbian on the team."

"Shinamori-san?"

"I believe I mentioned her in passing. On the first day of school…Suzuka's new friend. Second-most perverted lesbian I've ever met."

"I guess I don't count because I'm bisexual."

"What are you talking about? My little Suki-tan is a good girl, isn't she?"

"Only if you want me to be. I could be a bad, _bad_ girl for you if you want."

"Ah. So that's what this phone call is really about. Hold on; if we're going to have phone sex I should at least get into my room first."

Suki laughed. "Nah, we're cool. Maybe we'll see each other Saturday instead. Not Saturday night, though; I promised that night to Tatsu-kun. Though I suppose I could ask him if he could switch to Friday night…"

"Do what you want. I like that idea, but if he says no, that's cool too."

"'Kay. Love ya, Arisa-chan."

"Love you too, Suki-tan." It wasn't until after she'd hung up that she realized she'd nonchalantly parroted back Suki's _aishiteru_—the first time she'd said that to Suki. And it was only this second fact—that her first time was over the phone, rather than to Suki's beautiful face—that bothered her. _"I wonder if I should try to see if Watagami-san's boyfriend would be willing to at least try to get Suki as his date. It's not like they actually check ages…we have to give what school our date is from if they don't go to our school, but she could totally pass as a third-year…hell, she could pass for a high schooler!"_

* * *

><p>Suzuka sought out Izei before school the next day, but couldn't find him. She waited at the end of lunch, trying to catch him as he went to lunch, and found him. "Hey Kumaya-san. Have you talked to Miki-san yet today?"<p>

"No. Why would I?"

"Don't stay bitter. After you left, I chewed her out, told her the part that you left out, about how _long_ you've loved her. She seems to have realized her mistake…I think she'd be more than willing to go to the dance with you now."

"Really?"

Suzuka nodded. "Also, there's something else I want to ask you about her…but I don't think we have enough time right now."

Izei nodded back. "After school, then."

After school, they met. "So, did you ask her again?"

"Yep. She accepted, just like you said she would. What else were you going to ask about, and if it's about her, why are you asking me?"

"Well, I started asking her a question about her mother yesterday, and before I could get anywhere, Ichirei-san—Sakura-san, that is—stopped me from even asking the question and Miki-san went all cold-hearted. Do you know anything about it?"

"I know that their mother is dead…I never even met her, though I think she was still alive when I first met Miki-san. She died shortly afterwards…Miki-san doesn't like to talk about it, and I get the feeling that she truly hates her mother. Not in the 'why did you have to die and leave me so soon, mother' way, either, even though that would be a far more logical reason to hate a mother who died when you were only 6 years old. No, however it was that her mother died—and the girl I met that day wasn't depressed like a young girl whose mother was dying would be, so I doubt it was an illness—it changed her. …_I_ don't really like talking about this, either. When she finally did come back to school after her mother's death…that wasn't the Miki I fell in love with. That barely qualified as a person—more like a girl-shaped shell. Not the headstrong, vivacious girl you know."

"…I'm almost sorry I asked. I had no idea that she'd endured such hardship."

Izei smiled. "Compared to what she went through then, being a 15-year-old girl with a 10-year-old's body is nothing, right? So maybe she's stronger because of her hardships."

"Yeah…maybe…"

* * *

><p>CCX: I did a lot of tweaking as to what the whole story behind Mrs. Ichirei's absence was as I went through writing this chapter. The "original" Mr. Ichirei's being a single parent was never adequately explained, but him being an overprotective single father was definitely an important part of his character, so I had to make sure this incarnation was also a single father. The full story of Mrs. Ichirei <em>has<em> been written down now, so as to keep me from forgetting it if we ever get to the time where Miki reveals it. Though I'm not sure if such a point will ever come, because this story is not supposed to be about dark and twisty! Miki, your past is too dark and twisty! ^_^ Cyberchao X, signing off!


	14. Chapter 14

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Still disclaiming.

A/N: I had to edit a scene from the previous chapter, as it turned out to not make sense after I looked back at chapter 11. At first I was considering deleting it entirely, but I introduced two names in that short scene, even though I was wrong about that also being the only place where I mentioned why Arisa was so hesitant to try to get Suki along.

*late May—shortly after the end of the previous chapter*

"Watagami-san? Does your boyfriend still need a date to the dance? Because I think I've reconsidered regarding my girlfriend."

"Yeah, he does. I'm glad you came around; I was wondering why you didn't want to do that in the first place."

"Well, I'm only hoping that we can get the go-ahead…and I kind of wish I'd thought of it sooner because she probably would need the 'closeted' date more than I do…although her boyfriend does know about me now…"

"…Your girlfriend has a boyfriend?"

"We've come to an agreement to share, since we can both offer her something that the other one can't."

"How cute. I've never dated a bisexual before. So why were you so concerned about her getting approved?"

"Well, you and Chikuro-san are second-years, so it would kind of stretch the limits of plausibility…"

"I see. Your girl's still back at your old junior high for another year?"

Arisa shook her head. "Two years, actually."

Watagami laughed. "Cradle robber, are you?"

"They're so beautiful when they're still young and growing. I swear, every time I see her it seems like her boobs are just a little bit bigger and her legs just a little bit longer."

"And that's why you're _my_ date and not Rakusan's. I can't picture something like that coming out of his mouth."

"I'm only the 'dominant' one because I already _knew_ I was a lesbian. Now that she's a bit more confident in her sexuality, Suki-tan's likely going to be quite a handful."

"Hm, that name sounds familiar…what's her last name?"

"Makimaro."

"…Definitely familiar. You keep your girl in line, _okay_?" Arisa was baffled by his suddenly threatening tone, but agreed and made a note to call Suki after school.

* * *

><p>"So, can I bring this girl as my date, Kampai-sensei?" Chikuro asked.<p>

"Listen…I agree that the policy preventing same-sex couples from attending _as _couples is arcane and should be looked at, but it's there to prevent a greater loophole and you can't use that as an excuse to make a mockery of this."

"Do you really think that preventing two people of the same sex from getting a couples ticket is enough to stop people without actual dates from getting the reduced rate? Anyway, consider this a loophole to the ban on same-sex couples."

"…I see. So your 'real' date is bringing a girl with a younger girlfriend." Kampai-sensei smiled. "I'm always happy to see my students taking a proactive approach to the challenges levied against them. Very well, you've got your approval."

"Thank you, sir."

* * *

><p>"Hey there Suki-tan."<p>

"Ari-chan! So surprised to hear from you. You miss me that much that even one whole day is too long?"

Arisa laughed. "Well, I _do_ feel awful about the way our last conversation ended."

"I…don't remember anything bad about the way it ended…"

"That's just it. I told you I loved you—_really _loved you—for the first time, and it was over the phone. It should have been face to face. But that's not why I'm calling."

"Oh, right…Tatsu-kun was fine with switching to Friday night."

"Can you get him to switch back to Saturday night? After I realized what I'd said—and _meant —_I reconsidered and convinced Watagami-san to have his boyfriend bring _you_ as his date. And it's been approved, so get ready to impress; you're going to a high school dance."

"Ee! You're the best, Arisa-chan! …Wait, what did you say your date's name was?"

"Watagami. Atsuya Watagami." Arisa suddenly remembered Watagami's odd hostility. "You know, when he heard your name he told me to make sure to keep you in line. There wouldn't by any chance be a girl with that last name among your first-year fan club, would there?"

Suki laughed nervously. "Hanna-chan's a good girl. Watagami-san has nothing to worry about; I have no intentions of making any moves on her."

"Speaking of which, how is your little porcelain doll doing?"

"Well, the good news is that there's very little likelihood of me turning her into a lesbian/bisexual. The problem with that is that this is because she seems to already be there. It really seems like she wants to confess her love to me and is just too afraid, and it is _so_ tempting to just take the initiative, wrap her up in my arms and tell her that it's okay to feel that way, let her experience what it's like to kiss another girl…" Suki trailed off guiltily. "I'm sorry, Ari-chan…I'm a bad girl, aren't I…"

"I understand completely. You have to remember, I've had some experience with beautiful, curious first-years who want to explore their sexuality with a kind, caring sempai."

"…I suppose you have. Well, I'm going to have to make sure that the first-year brigade doesn't find out about this new development…see you Friday night."

"See you." After a pause she added, "Love you, Suki."

"Love you too, Arisa-chan…no, _Arisa_," she corrected as she realized that Arisa had left the honorific off of her name completely. "Arisa…"

* * *

><p>CCX: Stories ending up going in directions other than those I'd originally intended is nothing new for me…but this story <em>started out<em> with a foregone conclusion, and that's that Arisa would eventually wind up with Suzuka. Ah, but then again, all we really "know" is that they're together by the "present day" of _Last Christmas_, which is still more than _3½ years_ away. Speaking of which, let's cut to our suddenly popular purplette.

* * *

><p>"Kokuro-san, do you have a date to the dance yet?"<p>

"Nah, I don't plan on going."

"That's too bad. I know that as a girl I'm supposed to wait for a guy to ask _me_, but it's getting close to the day of the dance and I think everyone's just assumed that I already have a date and asking me would only lead to rejection, so I'm looking at possibly just going alone." Instantly about half the boys in the class offered to be her date. One of them got a hard rap on the head from a girl who reminded him that he already _had_ a date. Suzuka sweatdropped. _"And now we're back to the usual problem…this _was_ sort of my intention when I put it out there that I didn't have a date yet, but none of the ones who actually offered just now were guys that I wanted to have a second date with._" She had timed it well, though; the teacher came in before she was forced to give an answer, and next period was lunch. Perhaps someone from one of the other classes would be a better fit.

Shinamori was helpful, too, staying close to Suzuka and hurrying her to the lunchroom. "Thanks, Kanna-chan."

"Nice stunt you pulled there, Suzu-chan."

"You think? I'm just glad I timed it as I did. Hopefully the news that I'm still available will spread now and someone from another class will ask me."

"So why didn't you wait until you got here, if you didn't like any of the prospects in our class?"

"Well, I wasn't lying when I said that I wouldn't mind going with Kokuro-san. And there are a few other boys in our class that I wouldn't have minded; unfortunately, none of them spoke up."

Already the boys were starting to gather when a certain brash blonde girl shoved her way through. "Geez, you two, did something happen?"

"I kind of decided I was fed up with not being asked to the dance and made it known that I was still available," Suzuka replied. "How goes the hunt for a date?"

"Did I not tell you? I changed my mind."

"You're _not_ going as the 'beard' of a gay upperclassman?" (CCX: Realized as I was writing this that Arisa didn't actually give the name to Suzuka and Shinamori.)

"No, I changed my mind about the _other_ thing."

"…"

"…you decided to at least _try_ to have his boyfriend bring your junior high girlfriend as his date," Shinamori deduced.

"And it's been approved."

"That's…that's great!" Suzuka said.

"Now, I think you have some boys to respond to."

* * *

><p>"Hello, I'm here to pick your daughter up for the school dance."<p>

"…The hell you are! You'll turn around right now and get your preteen hormones away from my baby girl!"

"Wha—?"

"What's with all the shouting, papa?"

"This boy thinks he's taking you to a school dance. He's wrong, of course. And if he doesn't stop trying to enter our house, he'll soon be _dead wrong._"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "I think it's been so long since you came over when he was home that Papa has forgotten you, Izu-kun."

"He must have. He referred to _pre_-teen hormones."

"Hold on; I'll see if oneechan is ready." She went upstairs. "Onee-chan! Izu-kun is here!"

"Tell him I'm not coming out."

"Maybe that would be best for him; Papa's busy ripping him a new one right now."

Miki rushed out of her room, knocking Sakura over and nearly tripping down the stairs. "Daddy you stop that right now!"

"Hi Miki. You didn't tell me that your father wouldn't allow you to date."

"That's because his policy was no dating _until high school._ Which I'm now _in._ So I _am_ allowed to date. Baka-chichi, you assumed he was here for Sakura-chan, didn't you?" She pretended to cry. "Even my own father doesn't believe anyone would want to go out with me because I'm so tiny."

"Um, Miki…?"

"Yes, I know; I look horrible. I wasn't even going to come out until I heard that Daddy was harassing you. Maybe if he spent some time looking for a _real_ woman instead of obsessing over keeping his daughters from ending up like their worthless mother, I'd actually have someone who could've helped me get this right."

"My daughter is so mean to me…what happened to 'we need you, Daddy!'?"

"…You know I only want what's best for you, Daddy. I understand why you want to protect us, but…it would be good for us to have a real mother figure, too. So let's not talk about the past," Miki said, noting that Sakura was back within earshot. Mr. Ichirei nodded, knowing his older daughter's desire to spare his younger one the full extent of what happened nine years earlier.

"So, are we okay?" Izei asked.

"Sakura-chan said I'd 'forgotten' you. You used to come here more frequently?"

"Yeah…I'm Kumaya Izei. Miki and I have been classmates since grade 1…this is the first year we're not actually in the same class, but I'm still just one classroom over, and we're both representatives for our respective classes in student council."

"Kumaya-kun…I remember you now. I was concerned that someone actually asked Miki-chan out because she looks so young, but a close friend is different from a romantic interest."

"Actually…if she hadn't been so slow to mature physically, I probably would've asked her out long before she was old enough to get past your ban. I've liked her for a long time, at least since she actually _was_ as young as she looked, but I only just now got up the courage to get past her appearance and ask her out anyway."

"In short, Izei does love me, but he loves me _despite_ my appearance, not because of it. Am I right?"

"Yeah. Let's go; maybe Suzuka-san can help you with your makeup once we get there."

"Since when are you on a first-name basis with Suzuka-san?"

"…I suppose I really should ask her about that. I'm just grateful to her for helping me get up the courage to ask you out…and for setting you straight after you initially said no."

Miki laughed. "Okay, fair enough."

* * *

><p>"You do know this is just a regular dance, right? You didn't need to get us a limousine."<p>

Suzuka laughed. "This isn't a rental, Togawa-san. It's my family's limousine." Daisuke Togawa was a member of class 1-K.

"Ah…okay, then, I guess I feel a little better about being the one who was picked up…"

"We've still got a few more stops to make." Arisa, Chikuro, and Watagami were already in the limousine, but Shinamori and her date weren't and neither was Suki.

They arrived at the next stop. "Garu-kun?"

"Atsuya-kun? I didn't expect you to be going out with a kohai too…and Chikuro-san is also here…"

"Uh, yeah…"

"What's going on?" Arisa whispered.

"That's Suhaato Garu; he's a teammate of mine. Luckily I think he thinks _Tsukimura-chan's_ date is the one who's actually there for Rakusan, not me."

"Imagine how surprised he'll be when he finds out that his own date is probably the least straight person in this entire group."

"I still think that honor goes to Rakusan."

"That's what I was afraid of. Well, at least two-thirds of the student body will have already graduated by the time Suki-tan actually arrives here."

"I thought you said she wasn't shy about her sexuality anymore?"

"I said she wasn't keeping it a _total_ secret; she still doesn't want it to be common knowledge!" Shinamori was the next to be picked up, and she hugged both of the other females in the vehicle before settling in in between her date and Suzuka. Lucky that that was where he had settled in. Better still, Watagami had acted the gentleman and decided to forgo sitting in the seat that had been open between Arisa and Chikuro, opting to sit on the other side of Arisa (and explaining his decision to his boyfriend) in order to let Arisa sit next to her girlfriend, who was the last to be picked up. "Hey, Chikuro-san, this is supposed to be _your_ date," Arisa said, dragging him out of the limousine to greet Suki.

"Oh, right."

"_Damnit, he's right; there's absolutely no mistaking him for a straight man," _Arisa thought. Then her jaw dropped.

"Hey, Arisa-chan, I thought you said my date for the night was flat-out gay?"

"Huh?"

"Arisa-chan, please try to concentrate."

"What? Oh, right, yes, rainbows are straighter than Chikuro-san."

"Well, he seems almost as enthralled by me as you are." Arisa turned. Indeed, Chikuro _was_ starting to drool.

"Come on, get in." Suki followed Arisa into the limo, and Chikuro followed.

"Hey, Bannings-san, I thought you said your girlfriend was only a second-year in junior high."

"She is."

"She's…very tall. And, well…built."

"You're not the only one who has noticed. Even your boyfriend was drooling."

"Let's just hope her ability to turn gay men straight doesn't work in the opposite direction."

"You mean turning straight men gay?"

"No, I mean turning straight _girls_ into lesbians."

"Oh, right, your little sister's part of her fan club."

They arrived at the dance. "Hey, Kumaya-san, why are you waiting at the door? Where's Miki-san?"

"I'm waiting for you, Suzuka-san. Can I call you that? I feel like you're a close friend now since you helped me and Miki get together. Anyway, she kind of needs a little help…the lack of a motherly influence in her life has kind of caused some problems."

"Say no more; I'll take care of it," Shinamori said. "You stay with your date, Suzu-chan."

"Thanks, but no thanks. You referred to her as 'Itty-rei'; in my mind that makes you no friend of hers. Also you're not ditching your date that easily." The last sentence was said under her breath.

"Suit yourself."

Suzuka headed off towards the girls' bathroom. "Miki-chan—I mean, -san?"

"It's okay; _you_ can call me Miki-chan. Thanks for always trying to avoid it, though."

"I know how sensitive you can get. Let's see what we've got here."

"I washed most of it off, so we can start over."

"Okay."

"It was quite the scene when Izei came to pick me up. Daddy initially thought that he was there for Sakura-chan…my own _father_ doesn't think I can get a date."

"Neither did you, remember? I'm sure he's just trying to protect you from lolicons. Not that you _need_ protection, because you're as tough as they come."

"I'm really not. Yeah, I talk tough, but I'm still just 135 cm and…well, never mind what my weight is."

"I'm sure it's a figure most girls _dream_ of."

"Yeah, but to get that low if you're a _normal_ height you'd have to be anorexic."

* * *

><p>AN: She isn't even 135 cm, either. The measuring day scene from her original scenario isn't going to be included because she's only a side character in this story, but in it she finds that they actually must have made a mistake the previous year because she's actually _shorter_ than she was last year—but on the bright side, there's _one_ measurement that stayed the same while everything else shrank, which means she's actually starting to develop some slight curves. So she's actually more like 133 cm, or for those not using the metric system, 4'5". Also, these figures were originally slightly higher until I realized that even in America, where the average height is higher than in Japan, my figures would probably be more accurate for an 11- or 12-year-old than the 10-year-old that Miki allegedly appears to be.

* * *

><p>"Suzuka's spending a lot of time in there," Arisa said. "And Shinamori-san actually <em>is<em> sticking it out with her date, who actually _knows_ my date and therefore thinks that Suzuka's date is Chikuro-san's date."

"He wouldn't if he saw Chikuro-san and Watagami-san together. Or, hell, you and me."

"That's true. It's a good thing I don't care if people know that I'm a lesbian, because I'm pretty sure everyone knows it now."

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Because everyone sees that the prettiest girl in the room is dancing with _me_." Suki opened her mouth to say something, but Arisa stopped her with a kiss. "Don't argue it…it's true. And even if it isn't, you're the prettiest girl here in my eyes, so I don't care."

"I was just going to thank you for being so sweet… I've got the perfect girlfriend, one who understands me and cares about me and makes me feel good about myself. I don't _feel_ like the prettiest girl in the room…I feel like, well, an oversized junior high student who's at a function she doesn't belong at. Which I kind of am."

"You totally belong here. I'm going to go see about Suzuka, and you'll see just how much you belong here."

"I'm a little scared about what you mean…"

* * *

><p>"Hey, Suzu-chan, what's taking so long…wait, who's the kid?"<p>

"Arisa Bannings, meet Miki Ichirei, Class 1-O representative. Miki-san, this is my best friend, Arisa Bannings."

"Class…you're the same age as us?"

"Shocking, I know."

"What are you doing in here, Ari-chan?"

"Looking for you. Well, and proving a point to Suki-tan. She feels like she doesn't belong here because she's so young…so I'm 'setting her free' for a little while, see how many people try to make a move on her."

"You're brave. Makimaro-san looked especially amazing tonight."

"Wait, there's someone here who's _actually_ young? Maybe this won't be so bad."

"Think again. Makimaro-san looks even less like a 13-year-old than your sister looks like a 12-year-old."

"Also, am I understanding correctly, that you are…"

"Yes, I'm a lesbian. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

"As long as you aren't also a pedophile, I'm fine."

Arisa laughed. "I'm surprised you came, if you're afraid of people who would be attracted to you."

Miki blushed. "There's…someone who loves me for who I am, not for what I look like. I only wish I'd realized sooner, but…he was kind of afraid of being branded as a lolicon, so he kept his feelings bottled up and hoped that eventually my body would start maturing. So far it hasn't."

"Don't worry…it sounds like you at least had him close to you for a long time."

"Yeah…"

* * *

><p>"So, how many guys do you have to dance with before I can have you back?"<p>

"Oh, come on, I turned _some_ of them down. Also I have some other _girls_ to dance with…don't worry, not like _that_." She thought about this for a moment. "Well, I can't make any promises, actually, but that's just normal girl stuff."

"'Normal girl stuff'?"

"Don't worry; just follow my lead," Suzuka said. "Let your 'token straight friend' teach you a bit about what straight girls do."

"Don't you have a date to meet up with, Tsukimura-san?"

"This sounds like more fun. And you don't have to be so formal with me; Arisa-chan's my best friend and I know how important you are to her, so we should try to be friends. Okay…Suki-chan?"

"…Okay, Suzuka-san."

* * *

><p>Togawa managed to steal Suzuka away for a bit afterwards, but Arisa eventually caught up with her. "What the hell was that back there?"<p>

"What are you talking about, Ari-chan?"

"You and Suki-tan!"

"Oh, that? It's common practice for groups of straight girls to engage in vaguely homoerotic behavior because it turns guys on. And you were in there grinding away as well, so don't be like that."

"Yeah, one problem with that—_you're not straight!_" Arisa whispered.

"Yes, but only you and Kanna-chan know that," Suzuka whispered back.

"Yes, _I_ know that the girl who was grinding with _my_ girlfriend is not straight. Do you see what the issue here is?"

"…Oops. I'm sorry, Ari-san, I didn't mean it like that!"

"…I know. We'll have to 'kiss and make up' later when nobody else can see us."

"Ari-chan…"

* * *

><p>"…So, how long?"<p>

"How long what, Suki-chan?"

"You and Ari-chan. You're not really her 'token straight friend', are you? Dancing with you didn't feel the same as dancing with the other girls…it felt more like dancing with her. Except that you're a better dancer, but that's to be expected because Arisa-chan's pretty new at this. So, have I just been a toy for her all this time?"

Suzuka gasped. "Not at all. I see the way she looks at you…_you_ are definitely her girlfriend. I'm just her best friend. Who wants to be more than just friends with benefits…" She put her hand over her mouth. "_Please_ pretend I didn't just say that."

"You didn't _mean_ to confess that you're friends _with benefits_?"

"No…I didn't mean to confess that I was anything less than happy with that arrangement. We actually haven't been 'together' since the start of the new school year, anyway; we decided that it wasn't necessary. I've been swamped with guys, anyway…" Noticing Suki's quizzical look, she added, "You're not the only one around here who goes both ways."

"And you're certain that I'm the one she really loves?"

"_Yes_. Although in the interest of being perfectly honest, I wouldn't actually admit it if she was really more interested in me."

"The fact that you told me that makes me believe you more, though that's probably what you wanted…"

"Well, Ari-chan _did_ once accuse me of being an evil genius."

"Don't worry. I think maybe we can work something out. Get out at Arisa-chan's house on the way home, okay?"

"That was kind of already the plan…I think. Or at least, she implied that we'd be getting some alone time later."

"_Reeeeally._ Interesting…I seemed to be under a different impression. When was this?"

"When she got mad at me for grinding with her girlfriend. I didn't even think about the implications, that because she knows the truth about me it was as bad as if I'd been grinding with some other girl's boyfriend. So I apologized, and she said we'd have to 'kiss and make up' later."

"You're such a liar."

"It's the truth!"

"I meant about you not thinking about what you were doing. We wouldn't be having this conversation if I hadn't felt your intent. But don't worry…now that I know, hopefully you'll get to do a lot more than just kiss."

* * *

><p>CCX: Goddamnit Suki stop being such a Mary Sue. Lining up a bunch of male dates when your girlfriend walks away (even if she basically <em>wanted<em> you to just to prove to you how beautiful you are—no, wait, _especially_ because of that; not realizing how pretty you are is another Mary Sue trait); engaging the main pairing of the story in a threesome…I think we can even excuse the "stereotypically American traits despite being only ¼ American" because the issue of a partially Asian character having westerner traits due to having the western blood on both sides has been declared totally plausible by the creators of _Young Justice,_ who replied to complaints about the implausibility of Artemis's character design by saying that it was actually based on a real person who fit those criteria—although in that case it was _½_-American, not ¼. Well, anyway, I do believe we've set Chapter 15 up to be another lemon-type chapter. Hopefully it'll be another short wait like it was this time, not a long wait like a lot of the other recent chapters have been. This is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	15. Chapter 15

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I only own one-third of the upcoming threesome.

"Hey, wait, wasn't Suki-tan the last one picked up, and by extension the first to be dropped off?" Arisa asked, as they headed towards Shinamori's house.

"Don't be silly. You know she's not heading back to her own house," Suzuka replied, winking at Arisa. This also had the added effect of strengthening Suhaato's incorrect belief that she was the other 'beard' in the limousine rather than Arisa.

"Uh…"

"Come on, sweetie, you didn't really think you'd just be saying goodbye to me at the end of the dance, did you?" Suki purred in her ear.

"N-no, of course not…"

"You did, didn't you? You were just going to ditch me and make out with Suzu-chan when everyone else was gone."

"…What?"

"Don't worry…she already knows the price for my silence. I think you'll enjoy it." Arisa shot Suzuka a panicked look, as if to say "she knows the truth?" Suzuka just gave a wide grin in return, which freaked Arisa out even more.

Once Togawa had been dropped off and Suzuka had returned to the limo, Arisa shot over towards her. "She knows?"

"Yes. Thank you for adding two more to the list of people who know, by the way."

"Hey, you did a masterful job of keeping Garu-kun from learning that _I'm_ Rakusan's boyfriend, so I won't spoil your secret. Although I suppose you still have to deal with the fact that Garu-kun might have the 'right' idea."

"Umm…"

"Watagami-san, she didn't actually _know_ that Suhaato-san didn't know which one of you was actually there with a date and which one was there with a beard."

"_Really?_ In between ignoring Togawa-san for most of the night and grinding with Makimaro-san—quite convincing, by the way, though I now understand why—I just assumed that she _knew_ that she was practically a second beard for me."

"Nope. Suzuka is just _that_ bad at pretending to be attracted to guys."

"What? You told me you were a bisexual too!" Suki cried.

"I am!"

"That's still up for debate," Arisa said. "How did you get her to confess, anyway?"

"_I_ confronted _her_. And I'm flattered that you confronted her first, by the way."

"Confronted? Are you girls fighting?" Chikuro asked.

"Ah, so she didn't have your permission to grind with your girl like that," Watagami correctly surmised.

"No, but if I'm not mistaken, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise."

"I think she's figured it out," Suki said.

"Yeah, she's definitely figured it out," Suzuka replied. "And since the only other people back here are gay anyway…take the right?" Suzuka, to Arisa's left, suddenly reached inside Arisa's dress and started groping.

Arisa turned bright red as Suki, to her right, quickly followed suit. "I like the way you think, Suzu-chan."

"Haa…look at you two, so close all of a sudden."

"We're bonding over our mutual love of a certain girl."

"Well, don't push it. You were lucky to get Tatsuke-san to agree to share you with me; you might have some trouble convincing him to split your affections even further."

"It's not like it would require a further division of my time…and I no longer have to split Arisa time with Suzu-chan because now we can both be with you at the same time."

"Yeah, I'm _really_ wishing I wasn't seeing this."

"Good point, _Watagami -sempai_. After all, you have a duty to do as a _big brother_."

"…Suzuka-san, maybe we should wait until we get to Ari-chan's home."

"Eh?"

"Just trust me." After the boys had left, Suki explained about her fan club, and that Hanna Watagami was among the first-years who looked up to her so Suki had to at least _pretend_ not to be a _total_ deviant in front of her older brother in order to prevent him from warning his sister.

"Rough. But Suki-tan, you're _so_ lucky that your fan club is female! I just have a bunch of guys asking me out."

"I thought you were bisexual."

"Well, it hasn't been _all_ bad…but there have been a lot of losers mixed in there."

"I've had a single boyfriend for awhile now, so I don't have that problem. I actually had Tatsu-kun before I had Ari-chan."

"I know. I'm Arisa's best friend, remember?"

"So how long _have_ you been friends with benefits?"

"Not that long. Nobody knew that I _wasn't_ the 'token straight friend' until this year's Christmas party when I basically asked Haya-chan why she didn't molest me like she molested the rest of our group and told her that I was in love with her."

"Which means that, yes, Suzuka actually lost her virginity _before_ I did."

"Was I the one to take that from you?"

"…No, she beat you to it. Barely."

"Evil genius."

"You told her about that?"

"Yes. Well, not the circumstances that led to you calling me that, but yeah."

"You _were_ lying when you said I was the one she loved the most. Your 'evil genius' was making her think of you when she was screwing me!"

"Guilty as charged, but that was then. I don't know what changed, but she wouldn't have had Chikuro-san take you to this dance if she wasn't absolutely crazy about you."

"She speaks the truth. Suki, Suzuka-chan is my best friend, and she was at least briefly trained in the art of making love to a woman by none other than Hayate Yagami—though I'm also grateful that it was only briefly because as experienced as Haya-chan is, she's also completely nuts—but _you_ are my girlfriend, and I. Love. _You._" (A/N: Don't ask how they'd get the mouth flaps to match on that one, because they obviously wouldn't unless Arisa had slipped into Gratuitous English again, which she didn't. Actually, they'd probably just render that as Gratuitous Japanese for the dub, precisely _because_ English lacks the nuance of multiple ways of saying "I love you"…although punctuating each word like that is pretty nuanced, come to think of it.)

"See? The first time you told her that, she told me that she wasn't able to say it back. Even arguing like this, it's not hard to understand why she loves you. I'm just grateful that you're willing to deal me in."

"Grateful nothing; you pretty much _asked_ for it."

"I'm calling bullshit on that one; Suzuka's been extremely tight-lipped about her sexuality."

"Who said she asked with her lips? You saw what she did, Arisa; you yourself confronted her because of it."

Arisa turned red. "I knew I shouldn't have been so quick to forgive your 'mistake'…if you hadn't somehow managed to convince Suki-tan to agree to a threesome, I'd be angry at you again."

Suzuka and Suki said in unison, "_Agree_ to it? She/I _proposed_ it!"

"Of course she did. Why am I not surprised? Maybe next time you can invite your little Katsu-tan and we can teach her about the magic of vaginas together?"

"No! Bad Arisa! Katsu-tan's first lesbian experience is going to be romantic, not sexual! …Assuming that she is in fact planning to confess to me."

"Who is this?" Suzuka asked.

"You heard about her little fan club? Well, Himiya Katsura is her number one fan. Pale-skinned, feminine, brunette, and the perfect height to have her face mashed into Suki-tan's delicious bosom."

"I'd argue the 'feminine' part," Suki said. "Guard dog, remember?"

"Right, forgot to mention that she's already Suki's bitch."

Suki playfully slapped her. "I told you to stop saying that!"

"We're here, Arisa." Suzuka told the limo driver that this would be her stop, too, and he left the three girls there.

* * *

><p>"So, Suzuka-chan, shall we resume what we were doing? Or would you like to take a taste of this 'delicious bosom' yourself?"<p>

"No offense, but I'll start with the 'delicacy' I know I love," Suzuka said, already removing Arisa's dress. "This nice, firm ass."

"I should've warned you that Suzuka's actually quite sexually aggressive," Arisa said. "Oh, wait, I did; she's Haya-chan's disciple."

"You should've warned _her_ that the same is true of _me._ Minus the part about being a disciple of your memetic lesbian sex goddess."

Arisa couldn't help but crack up at hearing Hayate characterized as such—memetic _molester_ was more like it. "I'll…remember…that…"

"What's the matter, Arisa? Two girls too much for you?"

"Heh…of course not. I'll be fine. Now, I wouldn't want that pretty dress of yours getting messed up…time for you to lose that."

"With pleasure."

"I swear, you get more beautiful every time I see you."

"'Beautiful'. Is that a code word for busty?"

"Not just your breasts. Those long legs of yours keep getting longer as well…but it's not just that, either."

"I wouldn't mind if this growth spurt took some time off."

"Aw, poor baby. Maybe a massage will relieve your growing pains. Let's start with your breasts…ee!"

Suzuka looked up at her. "You haven't forgotten about me, have you?"

"Ah, sorry…out of sight, out of mind, I guess. I'm sorry, I was so transfixed by Suki-tan…" Arisa's earlier shriek was caused by the fact that Suzuka _wasn't_ behind her any more, and was partaking in Arisa's juices.

Suki slung her legs over Suzuka's shoulders and planted herself atop the shorter girl. "Please, go on with what you were doing. I'll just be up here." She put her arms around Arisa's body and started sucking on one of her nipples. _"A totem pole of sucking,"_ Arisa wryly thought.

"Ah…I'm not sure if this is going to work out…"

"Are you calling me fat?"

"It's not you, it's me," Suzuka replied.

"Suzuka, you're not _that_ weak…you're actually pretty good in gym class if I remember correctly."

"Then _you_ try kneeling with someone pushing down on you; tell me how comfortable you are."

Suki quickly got up and helped Suzuka to her feet. "Sorry, Suzuka-chan. That was pretty stupid of me. You just let me take care of those…whoa. You seriously went down on your knees like that while wearing pantyhose? I honestly don't know how you managed to avoid getting a run…" Suki had thrown Suzuka onto the bed and was removing the offending hosiery.

"Is she always like this?"

"No."

"Ari-chan, you're an athlete; you should know how delicate knees can be." (A/N: I took a course on sports medicine in college. It reaffirmed my belief that my chronic knee pain is somehow related to being the dog in my class's Spirit Fest skit in my sophomore year of high school, crawling around on hands and knees on the hard gymnasium floor (and probably the tiles of the hallway during practice).) "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good, because I'm looking forward to seeing you cash the check your hips wrote earlier." Suki's hands moved up Suzuka's body, creeping up her sides. "Mmm…yes, very good; definitely someone who knows what they're doing. Now let's see if you're as good in bed as you are on the floor. The _dance_ floor," she clarified to a nervous-looking Arisa. "Feel this. There's nothing to hold onto; your hands just slide away." (A/N: Ah, memories…)

"You're acting kind of weird."

"You just don't get it. Okay, okay, let's get our vision in navy back in the pink."

"It's fine; I can undress myself."

"Now what fun would that be?" Arisa and Suki said at the same time.

"Rrr…I can see why Arisa likes you so much."

"Why is _she_ allowed to growl?" Suzuka asked.

"Because she actually _can_," Arisa replied. "You sound silly when you try. Hey, Suki-tan, don't hog her all to yourself! I'm going to end up a third wheel at my own threesome!"

Suki had crawled on top of the naked violette and was sucking on her breasts. "You're bigger than you look, Suzu-tan!"

"Huh? She's not…Suzuka, have you been holding out on me?"

"What do you mean? And Suki-tan, you just finished raving about how tight my dress was!"

"Yeah, so tight that it was squishing your boobs! There, there, you're free now."

"She's _talking_ to my _breasts_."

"Suki-tan, you didn't drink anything that wasn't in a sealed container, did you?"

"I didn't eat or drink anything at _all_ at the dance. So, no, I'm not drugged."

"That's too bad; I was hoping there was a good excuse for your weird behavior."

"You talk to my breasts all the time."

"No, I talk to _you_ while _looking_ at your breasts. There's a difference."

"I think you're just jealous that your breasts are so small."

"You were just complaining about your figure maybe ten minutes ago. Which reminds me," she mounted Suki, "I still owe you that massage." She pressed the front of her body against Suki's backside and took hold of her breasts, massaging away. Meanwhile, underneath her, Suzuka reached up and inserted a finger into her inviting sex. Suki instinctively started writhing, but Arisa easily hung on. Suki struggled not to outright collapse onto Suzuka, straddling her and returning to suckling her breasts. Suzuka let out a moan and arched her back, pushing herself closer to Suki, who was quite unprepared for the chest to be pushed up at her. Even though Suki was taller, the fact that her lips were at Suzuka's nipples meant that the arching girl's nethers passed right between the blonde girl's legs…and eventually met the leg of the darker blonde just above the knee. "Ah, Suzu…ka…" She felt the warmth; she _wanted_ the warmth, but she couldn't let go of Suki, not when she was holding on as if she were trying to remain atop a bucking bronco. She didn't have to hang on for long, though, as with both girls' bodies thrashing against hers, Suki quickly lost the strength to stay on her hands and knees, collapsing atop Suzuka. "Are you okay, Suzu-chan?" Arisa asked.

"Yeah…your girlfriend's pretty soft."

"Don't let Martin-sensei hear you say that," Arisa joked, moving Suki aside. (A/N: Yes, the teacher that coaches the basketball team is an American, teaching English. Because why not.) "Suzuka…let me give you your sweet release."

Suki recovered from her collapse and looked over at the older girls. _"So much for being aggressive,"_ she thought, as Suzuka submitted to Arisa's every caress. _"…They look so beautiful together. They both swear that _I'm_ Arisa-chan's special person, but…they seem so natural."_

"Ah, Arisa—! You're…so…amazing…"

"Don't speak. Just enjoy it." Suzuka did so.

"Now _I'm_ the one feeling left out," Suki said, running a finger over Arisa's butt. "And perhaps a bit jealous."

"Ah? Surely…surely Ari-chan knows you the same way, right?"

Arisa looked down at herself and wondered, _"What _do_ I have to offer to Suki-tan? If it's breasts that she likes, mine aren't sufficient to satisfy her…" _Suki flipped Arisa onto her back, and she closed her eyes, happy enough to be taking a turn on the bottom. _"I guess maybe a nice warm body other than her own to insert herself inside, but…oh, right."_ While fingers could just as easily be put inside oneself, _tongues_ were a bit more awkward. And…she didn't even need to look to know that the tongue inside her at the moment belonged to Suki; it was…more aggressive…not gentle like Suzuka, though still enjoyable in its own way. She opened her mouth a little, feeling the softness on her chest that indicated being breast-to-breast with another girl and anticipating a kiss…wait, but then what about the probing tongue down below?

She opened her eyes and found herself gazing into the blue eyes of her best friend. Suzuka had draped herself over the younger girl, toes playing at the girl's rear, as the upper half of her body was atop Arisa's. She didn't say anything, just gently caressed Arisa's hair and face, tongues playing at each other, breasts rubbing against each other, matching Suki's movements down below.

Arisa couldn't help but be a little jealous. "So, what does it feel like?"

"What, having a threesome?"

"Riding Suki like that."

"Didn't you just _do_ that?"

"Not that high up."

"Eh? Oh…" Suzuka hadn't even bothered thinking about the silky blonde hair that was cascading into her pussy. "Very nice, I suppose…I could let you do the same to _me_ later, though it probably wouldn't be the same."

"Mm…ah…"

"Okay, no more talking." Suki had already brought Arisa to the edge of climax, and she eagerly lapped it up when it came. Suzuka could feel some tremors as well, and when she was satisfied that Suki had done her part, she got off of the girl. "Okay, Suki-tan. Your turn."

"My turn for what?"

"Your turn to be on the bottom. Now, Ari-chan has expressed interest in taking up the position I was just in, so if you don't mind, it'll be me between your legs."

"Not much different from the rest of this night," Suki cracked. Half of Suzuka's body had passed between Suki's legs when she was on the bottom, and with Arisa on the bottom Suzuka had nearly put her toes into that gap. "Okay, take your position."

Suzuka did so and was surprised to find Suki wrapping her legs around Suzuka's thighs, holding her tightly. "Forgive me if I'm not as good as Arisa," she said before running her tongue along the edges and then diving in.

Arisa took her position a bit differently than Suzuka had, however, putting her legs down on either side. "Suzuka-chan, d'you think you can move your arms to the outside of Suki-tan's legs? I promise it'll be worth your while." Suzuka did as she was asked, and Arisa delivered, looping her legs under Suzuka's arms, around Suki's legs, and down beneath Suzuka's body, where she then went up and used her feet to tease at Suzuka's slit. "Won't be as good as fingers, I'm afraid…but I can't exactly leave you out, either." Suzuka gave a muffled reply, ostensibly thanking her, but whatever the message was was lost in the depths of Suki's sex. Arisa pushed her upper body down onto Suki's, though the fact that neither of her legs was actually touching the bed meant she had to use her hands to steady herself. "Is this as good as you'd hoped it would be?" Arisa asked.

"Better," Suki replied, trying to ignore the fact that Suzuka's premature apology was _completely_ unnecessary. _"She allegedly had never had a relationship with another girl until just a few months ago, but she's so good at pleasing a woman…and she still shows interest in guys as well? Either she's deluding herself, she's just _that_ amazing, or her 'teacher' really _is_ a sex goddess."_

* * *

><p>"Hayate-sama, you really should get some rest. And drink this," Shamal said.<p>

"I told you, I don't feel sick. It's just a little sneezing; probably just means someone's talking about me. Besides, if you made it it'll probably only make me feel worse."

Shamal started to get angry, but Signum cut in, "_I_ made the tea. And Shamal's cooking isn't _that_ bad."

* * *

><p>"Good. Because this is absolutely <em>amazing<em> for me. Getting to sleep with my two favorite girls at the same time…I'm in heaven."

"Me too. I think I'm about to _cooooommmmmmme!_"

Arisa was trying to figure out how _she'd_ felt Suki's orgasm and then she realized that Suzuka had come at the same time. "That's not fair, Suzuka! Coming again when Suki-tan's just getting her first of the night! I think that warrants some _torture_, don't you, Suki-tan?" Suki didn't reply, tears still streaming down her face from her recent experience.

Arisa went ahead. "Ah! Arisa, don't squeeze them so hard!"

"When did you get these nice things, anyway? I mean, they're still small compared to Suki's, but…"

"Arisa…ow!" Arisa immediately pulled back, knowing she'd gone too far by the slightly metallic taste in her mouth. "I can't believe you _bit_ me!"

"I…messed up. I really suck at this, don't I?"

Suzuka said "N-no…" …right as Suki said, "Well, kinda…"

"Suki?"

"…I'm sorry. Forget it."

"No, now you've got my interest."

"Earlier, when I was feeling 'left out', I was jealous because you looked so natural with Suzuka-chan, like you just 'belonged'. Like it was better than sex with me. But now I realize that that's not necessarily my fault. Suzu-chan's…" Suki blushed. "Suzu-chan's just really good. Don't get me wrong, Arisa-chan; you're still the one I _love_, the one who I know and want to spend time with…but the sex was better with Suzuka-chan."

"…"

"Arisa? Sweetie?"

"…In a way, I'm relieved to hear that. It always bothered me that while my head kept telling me I loved you, every time I was with Suzuka my loins kept telling me I should be with her. It made me wonder if I had things wrong. But if you found her preferable to me in bed as well, then that means it wasn't necessarily an issue of compatibility, just an issue of 'Suzuka is just plain fucking amazing in bed'."

"P-please don't say that, Ari-chan…" Suzuka pleaded.

"You should be flattered," Arisa said. "It's a compliment."

"It's not very ladylike…"

"Since when have you cared about being a 'lady'?" Arisa asked. "This is the 21st century. Those traditional ideals are outdated anyway."

"I guess…"

"So, do you forgive me for drawing blood?"

"…I suppose. But you should probably try to find a way to make it up to me."

"Well, I believe there was a 'delicious bosom' that you still haven't properly experienced yet."

"I love it how she just _volunteers_ my chest. Not that I mind, as long as you don't use _your_ teeth. They're…tender enough already." She sat back down on the bed and closed her eyes as she thrust out her chest, blushing as Suzuka took a breast into her mouth.

"Indeed. I don't usually like to share them," Arisa said.

"You- You don't have a say in the matter," Suki said. "I have a boyfriend too, remember?"

"…Yeah, I know." She looked longingly at the scene on her bed and stood up to walk around to the other side. "Room for one more?"

"I don't know; is there? Just because my breasts are large, I'm still not sure if two separate heads can fit there side by side."

"Tell me if it hurts." Arisa tried and found that she was able, her cheek touching Suzuka's, but not pushing them so far apart that it caused problems.

"You're fine. It…uhhh…it feels good." Suki wasn't quite sure what to do with herself, sitting upright on the bed, the two 15-year-olds in a reclining position sucking on her teats…certainly it felt good, but was there perhaps something she could be doing with her hands? She decided not to think about it and just enjoy the ride.

* * *

><p>CCX: I have no idea if any of those positions would actually work in real life; I have enough trouble dealing with the fact that there are only so many ways to say "pussy" and I rather dislike about half of them, finding them to sound too vulgar, so I quickly find myself at a loss for words. I actually used "slit" in this chapter once but that's on the list of ones I dislike, along with just about any other one that uses the letters "t" or "u".<p>

Well, anyway, I think this chapter turned out pretty good, being primarily lemony and also featuring an unexpected cameo by Hayate and the Wolkenritter. Of course, _because_ it was all lemony, it also means that I wasn't able to rectify the fact that I forgot to give Kaburagi a part in Chapter 14, which is something I felt bad about even though she's at best fifth on the list of OC importance and probably more likely sixth—although Tatsuke hasn't actually made many on-screen appearances yet, possibly because his presence gets in the way of the yuri. So I guess we'll let Kaburagi hang onto the #5 spot. Suki is of course #1, with Shinamori second and Miki and Izei 3rd and 4th. Cyberchao X, signing off.


	16. Chapter 16

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Disclaiming.

*approximately half a day later*

"Well, _someone's_ certainly glowing today," Shinamori teased.

"Nothing gets past you, Kanna-chan. Yeah, things got a bit wild last night."

"With Togawa-san?"

"…Nope." Suzuka grinned.

"Well, it certainly wasn't _me_…which only leaves Ari-chan. But she had her girlfriend with her, didn't she?"

"I may have done something that led to Suki-chan learning the truth about me back at the dance. Her reaction was unexpectedly amazing."

"…You're so lucky. So, have you sworn off boys forever yet?"

"Nah, I don't think so. Not yet, anyway."

* * *

><p>"…What's with the limousine?" Tatsuke asked.<p>

"I spent the night at Arisa's house," Suki replied.

"…I get the feeling that you like her more than me."

"I love both of you the same," she insisted, kissing him. "Don't you worry. If you're so insecure…perhaps we can make _tonight_ just as special."

* * *

><p>CCX: It has suddenly occurred to me that Suki is awfully sexually active for a 13-year-old, <em>especially<em> one in Japan, where morals are a bit more rigid than here in the United States. To which I say "It's just a fan fic; I should really just relax."

* * *

><p>*early June*<p>

"Ah, Tsukimura-san…"

Suzuka's face brightened up. "Yes, Kokuro-san? What is it?"

"I need some advice, and since you're one of my only female friends, I thought you'd be a good person to ask. I-I've got a date next weekend, and I really haven't the slightest idea what to do. What do girls like?"

Her face fell. "…I don't really know how much help I can be. Every girl is different."

"So, who's the lucky girl?" Shinamori asked, earning an elbowing from Suzuka.

"Chidori Kusakabe."

"Really." Now it was Arisa's turn to brighten up, and it was hard for her to contain a smile. "Good luck with that."

"Uh, thanks? I don't think we've met…"

"Arisa Bannings."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kokuro Hoshimaru."

"I, well, I guess I could give you some general tips…" Suzuka managed. Kokuro thanked her and walked off. "So, what was with that smile? You got a pretty good idea that it won't really work out?"

"You first. Why so disappointed?"

Suzuka put on an obviously fake smile. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"…Right. Sorry for making light of your feelings. Maybe the idea of you as a pure lesbian is just wishful thinking on my part."

"…So now that you know that much, why the grin?"

"That was completely genuine—although if I'd realized you wanted him for yourself, maybe I shouldn't have been so approving."

"That didn't answer my question."

"Just looking out for a friend."

"Kusakabe? Because it obviously wasn't Kokuro, since you only just met him as it were."

"No, it's not about whom Kusakabe's dating…it's about who she _isn't_."

"…So that _was_ sarcasm. Should I warn Kokuro-san?"

"I honestly don't know her. But she went to the dance with Kaburagi-chan's crush, so if he's single now it means she might be able to tell him her feelings."

"I see."

After lunch, Arisa told Kaburagi that Jugo and Kusakabe apparently didn't work out. "Now's your chance. You should totally confess to him."

"N-no, I couldn't…I can't be that forward!"

"And why not?"

"Because…well, because… Just because, okay? It's improper for a lady to be so bold…"

"That's an awfully old-fashioned attitude. Now, I'm probably not the best authority on being ladylike, being such a tomboy, but even Suzuka took matters into her own hands when it seemed like she was going to end up without a date to the dance."

"Didn't she have the guys asking _her_ out?"

"Well, yeah…but she did ask one person, and then made sure that others knew that she was still in need of a date. But that type of passive-aggressive behavior wouldn't work here, because we don't have a social function like the dance to work with anymore."

"There's the summer festival later this month…"

"True." Arisa sighed. "Maybe I should just have you ask Suzuka for advice. She seems to be turning into quite the problem-solver, even if she can't seem to help herself."

* * *

><p>Suzuka didn't have any student council obligations that day, so she went to the Library Club to see Kokuro. "So, where should we start?"<p>

"You came _here?_ I, uh, I wasn't expecting that… Could we maybe talk later?"

Suzuka hesitated, unsure of why Kokuro was so nervous, but then she remembered—Kusakabe was a Library Club member too; that was likely how they ended up meeting. "Afraid your new girlfriend might get jealous?" she teased.

"She's not my girlfriend…yet. We haven't even had our first date…"

"She shouldn't have any reason to be jealous of me; she's more than pretty enough. But this definitely is a good start. You've obviously got some common ground."

"…I can't just talk about books all night."

"I think you underestimate yourself. You were certainly charming enough on our date."

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not."

"…You really think so?" Suzuka nodded. "Well, thanks…I guess I feel better about it now."

"Glad I could help."

* * *

><p>"So how'd things go with Kokuro-san?" Arisa asked on their way home.<p>

"Good enough, I guess. He didn't seem to catch the hint that I actually like him, but I did restore his confidence."

"Good, because I may have another job for you. I'm not much good at 'feminine advice', and Kaburagi-chan isn't too keen on the idea of making the first move."

"Then how does she expect to get noticed by her crush?"

"I have no idea."

"Okay, so why me? I haven't exactly had much experience with having to _try_ to be noticed, my current issues with Kokuro-san aside."

"You're good at helping others. You helped those two class reps, right?"

"…Oh, Miki-chan and Izei-san. Yeah, you're right, I helped them sort out their feelings, and I also helped Kokuro-san… Funny, when I can't seem to help myself?"

"Yeah, I noticed that too…but give it time. I'm sure you'll end up with the right g—person eventually."

"Yeah, I suppose."

* * *

><p>The next day, Arisa invited Kaburagi over to have lunch with her, Suzuka, and Shinamori. "Ah, Kaburagi-san…long time no see," Suzuka said, before introducing Shinamori. "So since Arisa-chan has volunteered me to help…what can I do to help?"<p>

"Hell if I know. Do guys actually go for girls who make the first move?"

"It depends on the guy. I've never actually had to make the first move, except for…well, no, actually, I've never had to ask a guy for a first date, although there is one guy who I was apparently too subtle about trying to get a _second_ date with."

"Really. I'd heard that you've had a lot of first dates, but I didn't realize you've been looking for seconds."

"I'm trying out different guys…and most of them suck. But there are some good ones. Then again, Kokuro-san's obliviousness to my feelings was what clued us in to Kusakabe-san no longer dating…"

"Jugo-san," Arisa said.

Suzuka sighed. "…Jugo-san, so I guess from your standpoint it worked out nicely."

"What's with that sigh, Suzuka-chan?" Shinamori asked.

"Nothing. Maybe there's something I'm missing."

Kaburagi didn't even seem to notice Suzuka's apparent disapproval. "So then…"

"…Are you afraid of rejection? Because if that's your problem, then there's nothing I can do to help. It's true that guys don't like to be chased, but at the same time, a love confession can often be very effective. You've got to be willing to set yourself up for that disappointment. Tell him how you feel—however you will; it seems like shy and demure is your main style—and hope that he'll return your feelings. And if he doesn't…well, then like I said, guys don't usually 'play hard to get' so if he says no, then you'll have to move on."

"…I'm not really _that_ shy. But, um…yeah, it sounds like you understand my problem. I'll…I'll try to be brave, and ignore my fear of rejection…" She sighed. "Yeah, right. Like that will ever happen."

* * *

><p>CCX: Well, what do you know? It looks like we've found the designated self-insert character—and this one's female! Although obviously, the fact that guys generally <em>are<em> expected to be the ones to make the first move makes _my_ situation considerably worse than Kaburagi's. Anyway, this chapter seems a tad short compared to the last few, but it's actually not too bad. Also, there's an omake!

* * *

><p>Omake—Urusai, Suzu-baka!<p>

Arisa: So what's the deal with you and that chibi?

Suzuka: Don't call her that. Miki-chan's really sweet. Actually, she reminds me a lot of you.

Arisa *puts hands on chest*: Sh-shut up! I'm not _that_ small! *blushes*

Suzuka: Ehehe…actually, I was referring more to her demeanor than her physical appearance. She's…a bit short-tempered, but actually very nice. Although you've grown out of your _tsundere_ nature, so I guess it would be more accurate to say that she reminds me of you when we were younger. …If I close my eyes, she even _sounds_ like a 10-year-old Arisa-chan.

Arisa: …She does not.

Suzuka: She totally does.

* * *

><p>CCX: I got the idea for the omake when I realized that I had pretty much removed any trace of Arisa's tsundere personality, but then I realized that I made up for it by introducing a very tsundere OC in Miki Ichirei. Add in the highly loli appearance, the fact that my personal vision of her includes grade A zettai ryouiki (not grade S, because she wants to be treated as the young woman she is rather than the little girl she appears to be and therefore wouldn't be caught dead in twintails)…and it became obvious that she's yet another Shana clone and therefore would probably be voiced by Rie Kugimiya…Arisa's seiyuu. Hence Suzuka's comment about Miki sounding like Arisa. This is Cyberchao X, signing off.<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 17

Disclaimer: You know this already.

CCX: 15 new uploads in the month of June and not one of them is a new chapter of _Lonely No More._ There's something wrong with that. Here's to making sure my favorite major project doesn't get completely left out, though I'm still kind of past due because the festival itself should be somewhere around the solstice…which was last week.

"Thanks for inviting me to join you for the festival, Ari-san," Kaburagi said. "Being part of a group makes it seem less lonely. You don't…"

Arisa shook her head. "Better for appearances. Hers, not mine." _"Also I'm not sure if I'd be able to deal with her fanclub."_ "I would've thought you had other friends to go with, though."

"It'd be awkward. They all have boyfriends. I'd just drag down the mood. Uh, not that the mood's bad here or anything…"

"Of course it isn't. It's more fun just going to these things with a group of friends! Less…restricting," Suzuka said. Shinamori giggled.

"You really have changed since junior high, haven't you, Tsukimura-san?"

"I don't think so."

"I meant that in a good way. You always seemed kind of shy, but now you're… okay, maybe you're a bit of a flirt, but it's not just the boys that you're more outgoing with."

Arisa and Shinamori sweatdropped. _"You have no idea…"_

"Aheheh… oh, hey, Miki-chan. Izei-kun."

"Hey, Suzuka-chan. No guy today?" Miki asked teasingly.

"I'm not _that_ much of a flirt, am I?"

"You kind of are. Hey, would it be okay if we joined you guys for a bit? I promise we won't ruin your 'singles' vibe. _Too_ much."

"I dunno; guys might not be as willing to approach if there's a guy in our group already…" Shinamori said.

"Kanna-chan!"

"Come on, it'd be five to one! _Please…?_"

"I'm just teasing you. That shouldn't be a problem, right?" Everyone agreed.

"Good. Is that okay with you?" she called out behind her.

"Yeah, fine; have fun!"

"Uh…"

"My father. I think he _thought_ he was staying out of sight, but I knew he wouldn't let us get too far away. This way Sakura-chan can at least go wherever she wants without having to worry about allowing him to still be able to spy on me too."

"Your father is kind of overprotective, isn't he?" Suzuka asked.

"…He's very protective of his daughters; yes."

Everyone picked up on the fact that Miki's response didn't exactly match Suzuka's question, but glances from Suzuka and Izei told the others that they shouldn't say anything about it. "You look quite nice today yourself, Miki-san. Very, um…" Suzuka struggled for the right words.

"…Almost actually convincing as my own age? Well, I wouldn't quite go that far, although I do enjoy the fact that my lack of curves isn't as immediately evident when I'm all dressed up like this. I am, after all, still quite short."

"True, but there's more to looking grown-up than just height and shape. You carry yourself in a very mature way, so it's easier to believe the truth when there's, uh, not as much evidence to the contrary. Oh, I think introductions are in order…I think you've both already met Shinamori-san, and have you met Ari-chan?"

"I have," Miki said, "but I'm not sure if Izei has."

"Right. You mentioned that there was someone close to you," Arisa said. "I'm Arisa Bannings, Suzuka's best friend. This is another friend of mine, Kaburagi Kimidori…or should I have said it the other way around?"

"No, you said it fine," Suzuka said. "Just because you have a western last name doesn't mean you have to introduce other people in western order when introducing them at the same time."

"Why not just introduce yourself in Japanese order as well?" Izei asked.

"It just…sounds wrong."

"Well, I'm Kumaya Izei."

"And I'm Ichirei Miki," Miki added, since she hadn't been formally introduced to Kaburagi either. "And in case my discussion with Suzuka-chan didn't make it obvious, I _am_ fifteen."

"That's…good to know…"

"…Maybe this was a mistake. It feels even weirder being the only one with a boyfriend when I look like the little sister that got dragged along. Or…maybe I just put my foot in my mouth."

Arisa laughed. "No, no, you're absolutely right. I do _have_ a girlfriend, but she's not part of our group today. She's, um…she's with her boyfriend. We all decided it was probably better if she went with him than with me."

"I'm…not sure what to say."

"Nobody who knows about our arrangement ever does. Although I'm not sure how many people that is. The whole idea is that at least publicly she appears to be straight…well, aside from her appearance at the school dance."

"Right. You said something about that. She's still in junior high?"

"Yeah, that's the one. At first she was keeping her relationship with me a secret from just about everyone, but eventually she decided to tell her boyfriend the truth. I think we'd both _like_ to have her all to ourselves, but we both know that the other one has something to offer her that we can't, so we have a grudging agreement."

"Suddenly the fact that my girlfriend looks exactly the same now as she did when I first developed a crush on her five years ago doesn't seem like such a huge problem." Miki pulled Izei down to her level and kissed him. "Well, except for the strain that she puts on my neck whenever she wants to kiss me." Miki glared at him.

"Yeah, I…wasn't going to say anything…" Kaburagi said.

"I think we all know what you were thinking. Most people probably do. I'm not really that surprised, because Kuma-kun was your champion all throughout middle school. There…might have been some whispers in third year, but most of us figured that he wasn't really a lolicon, just really into Itty-rei—Ichirei-san." Shinamori looked down at the ground. "Sorry. Force of habit. Suzuka-chan has told me to stop."

"It's… well, you're making an effort. Was it really that obvious?"

"Was what really that obvious?"

"That Izei liked me like that."

"He always stood up for you when people made fun of you. People like me. In first year, it didn't seem so weird, because there were other small girls, too, who also had people standing up for them—and he wasn't alone in sticking up for you, either. But they eventually grew, and you didn't. And he always stood by you. So…yeah, kind of."

"I really feel awful about having remained ignorant of your feelings for so long, Izei-kun. I…wish I would grow up a bit more so I could repay you."

"That's…that's fine, Miki-chan. I'm willing to wait for as long as it takes. Just knowing that you feel the same way about me is enough for now."

"Yeah, I know…but still, I'm not really your 'type', physically…"

"That's not important. I love you for who you are on the inside, not who you are on the outside."

"All the more reason for me to grow up and… um…" She turned red and hurriedly mumbled, "letyouin."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Oh, hey, I wonder what's with that group of girls… Look to be about my sister's age. Probably nothing, and I don't want to risk being mistaken for one of them, but…damn my natural curiosity."

"No, you're right. It is absolutely nothing of any importance," Arisa said.

"Bannings-san?"

"Hey, is anyone else hungry?" Arisa ran off to get in line at one of the food stands.

"…What was that all about?" Miki asked.

"…Nothing _we _have to be concerned about, since they don't know _us_," Suzuka replied. "Actually…maybe it _is_ best if we keep our distance so that it stays that way. I'd love to say hi to Suki-chan, too, but…now isn't the time."

"Suki-chan?" Miki felt as though she'd heard the name before, but couldn't place it. "Wait, isn't that… Bannings-san referred to a 'Suki-tan', but you called her by a different name. A last name, probably. You've grown more familiar with her since last month."

"Yeah…I felt that since we both really care about Ari-chan, we should be more friendly to each other." Suzuka tried not to show her nervousness; Miki was a very bright girl, and Suzuka could only pray that her naïveté extended to other people's relationships as well.

"That's…good to hear. I'm happy for you. Come on, Izei; I'm hungry too." She took Izei's hand and led him in the direction Arisa had went. Suzuka breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, Tsukimura-san…why so nervous when talking about Arisa-san and her girlfriend?" Perhaps relief had come too soon…

* * *

><p>"Ah…Bannings-neesan, I mean sempai, I mean –sama, I…oh, no!" A rather flustered young girl who had been carrying far more food than she alone would be able to eat had just dropped some of it. "Uu…maybe Hanna-chan was right. I'm not cut out for this job…"<p>

"Er…do I know you?" Arisa asked, looking confused but thinking _"Oh fuck, I tried to avoid her fan club and ended up heading straight towards it!"_

"N-no, probab-bly not…I wasn't introduced to you, anyway. I'm Sasukari Reina. Y-you're…Maki-sempai's senior, right? The special one?"

"Rei-san, you're not supposed to run off! Neesan said that you had to make sure we didn't get separated if I went along to help carry the food." A girl who appeared to be even younger ran up to Reina, carrying just as much food, though with considerably more grace. "Is that true, Rei-san? This girl is oneesama's sempai?"

"Y-yeah…" Arisa said hesitantly. "I, uh, I guess I should help you out with that…"

"But you're still on line…"

"Tell me what you need. I'll buy replacements for everything that was dropped. You just…sit down, or something."

"Yeah, Rei-san's kind of a klutz. Can I stick with you? Neesan said I should stay with Rei-san, but if oneesama has faith in you, I'm sure neesan would have faith in you too." She paused. "Although I suppose I'm looking after Rei-san just as much as she's looking after me. I'm the youngest, but I think I'm more reliable than Rei-san. I'm Natsume. Neesan said something about meeting a sempai who was very special to oneesama. I guess that was you. She sounded a little jealous, but that doesn't surprise me. She didn't mention what your name was, though, and it would be weird for me to call you sempai because you're in high school and I'm still in grade school. So, what should I call you?"

"I guess you should call me Bannings-san…"

The grade schooler shook her head. "If you don't give me a given name I'm just going to have to call you Anesan."

"That's…kind of odd. Aren't kids supposed to respect their elders?"

"Yeah, I guess… But you'll still call me 'Natsume-chan', won't you, Bannings-neesama?"

Arisa sweatdropped. "I…guess that works. And I wouldn't know what else to call you, Natsume-chan. You haven't told me your family name."

"Didn't I? Well, I'm sure you'll know it when we bring all this food to Suki-neesama."

"_What have I gotten myself into…"_

"Hey, Bannings-san! What's with all of the food? And, um…the little people?"

"Who are you calling 'little'? We're the same age, aren't we?" Natsume replied. "And Rei-san is older, so…"

"Chill, Miki-san…" Izei said, trying to hold back his enraged girlfriend. "Picking fights with 10-year-olds is _not_ the way to conduct yourself maturely."

"I will not stand for this! I've had enough of that shit from our classmates!"

"Don't make me pick you up." He leaned down, kissed the back of her head as he held her tightly. "Be the bigger person. She wasn't trying to start a fight."

"B-but…" Miki trailed off. "Could you hold me a little higher up? Yeah, right there…"

"…Nice try."

"My body isn't good enough for you?"

"No, that's just not acceptable public behavior."

"They need all the attention they can get."

"I…really don't think that actually works."

"But you don't know, because you're still too chicken to touch them."

"…Like I said, we're in a public place. And this behavior isn't like you, Miki-san."

"…Yeah, you're right. I thought a public display of affection would show how mature I was, but I'm just being immature again."

"Well, I think there are _some_ public displays that are a bit more socially acceptable," he replied, keeping one arm around her and holding her close as they continued to advance through the food line.

* * *

><p>"<em>There<em> you are, Natsume-chan! What took you so long? I was worried that you and Reinan got separated!"

"No, Rei-san just got clumsy and dropped some of the food. But this nice anesan offered to pay to replace it."

"Ane… san…"

"Hello, Himiya-chan."

"See? I told you you knew my family name," Natsume said.

"Sempai! Reina-chan brought back something even better than food!"

"Better than…" Suki paused. "Hi."

"Hey, Suki-chan. Fancy running into you here."

"Yeah. Enjoying the festival?"

"Oh, sure, plenty of fun."

"I wouldn't want to keep you; I'm sure you weren't just here by yourself."

"Uh, yeah, I was actually just hanging out with some friends…I think there are some you haven't met, and… well…"

"They wouldn't really want to hang out with a bunch of junior high students, right?" Katsura finished. "Yeah, you're probably right. I wouldn't want us to keep you from your high school friends. Good seeing you again, Bannings-san."

"Be nice, neesan; one of her friends looked like she was my age."

"She wasn't," Arisa said, and left.

"…What was with that tense atmosphere?" asked the one who had reported on Arisa's presence.

"I think you're imagining things, Mayu-chan. _Isn't that right, Hayama-sempai?_"

"Why are you asking _me_, Watagami-chan? Shouldn't you be asking Suki-chan, or maybe Himiya-chan?" Tatsuke replied.

"…You don't know. Forget I said anything."

"Don't know what, Hanna-chan?"

"Nothing."

"_Don't know what, Hanna-chan?_" Katsura repeated, a bit more forcefully.

"Sempai? Would you like to tell Katsu-chan?"

"…I don't know what you're talking about, Hanna-chan."

Hanna pulled Suki aside. "Last month, my older brother's high school held a dance. Now, he doesn't make this known to anyone outside of our family except his boyfriend, but he's very much _gay_. But there was a girl who came to pick him up, a girl who I thought looked very familiar, but I couldn't quite figure out why because it was already starting to get dark and I was looking down from a second-story window. But now I think it looked a lot like Bannings-san. Now, maybe my brother was just trying to give off the appearance of having an actual date—it wouldn't be surprising—but it would certainly make the most sense for his 'date' to be a lesbian. Which brings up the question of who _her_ 'real date', Rakusa-san's date, was. Perhaps it was a certain second-year junior high student who refused to answer her phone for practically that entire weekend? I thought Katsu-chan was just being weird when she started freaking out, but you usually only do that when you're with Hayama-sempai, but you wouldn't spend two nights in a row with him, would you?"

"…I think you're being paranoid."

"Tell her. For her sake, tell her that her feelings of jealousy towards Bannings-san aren't unfounded."

"…Jealousy?"

"She loves you. I mean, we _all_ love you, Sempai, but…I don't think it's the same for Katsu-chan. She's my friend, and I see the way she looks at you. She really idolizes you—not the way the rest of us do, but…you know. She should hear this from your mouth, not mine. But if it comes down to it…she _will_ hear it from mine."

"...Your—" Suki had just started to speak when she was interrupted.

"HANNA! Stop monopolizing Suki-neesama!"

"NOT NOW, KATSURA!" Hanna yelled back. "What were you saying, sempai?"

"It's exactly as you said. Arisa told me that when she told your brother the name of the girl that he was to have his boyfriend take to the dance, he got a bit hostile and told her to keep me in line. Your brother really cares about you, Hanna-chan. I don't think he ever wanted you to know this. Ironic that in the end he'd end up being the reason you found out."

"Hayama-sempai knows, right?"

Suki nodded. "Yeah. He and Arisa have agreed to share me."

"Then he's…"

"He's straight, and legitimately my boyfriend. I'm bisexual, not a lesbian. But you and he are the only two people who know—well, the only two that I've outright told. Some of my teammates on the basketball team know, because this all started in the locker rooms. And…I'd rather it stayed a secret."

"I wish I could do that. But…my brother was wrong, because my loyalty was never to you."

Suki's eyes went wide with realization. "…Then why do you want her to know? Wouldn't it be better for you if she wasn't… with me?"

Hanna shook her head. "Is that what you think? That I feel that way towards her? That's not it at all. I care about her more deeply than that, and I want to make her happy."

"And would telling her that I've been keeping my sexuality a secret from her—that it isn't an incompatible orientation that's preventing her feelings from being returned—make her happy?"

"Natsume-chan calls you 'oneesama' too, sempai. She looks up to you the same way we all do."

"…Don't you mean 'the way _they_ all do', Hanna-chan? You just said that your feelings were never for me."

"That's… that's not true. I thought of you as a role model, too. But I was just following Katsu-chan. You're _her _role model… her idol."

"That's the thing about idols. If you put them on a pedestal, they're bound to fall."

"…Fine. But I'm still going to chew out my brother for trying to keep this from me."

"You think you can do that without him trying to stop you from being a part of our—my—her group?"

"He'd better; it's his fault that I know. Because I'm not going anywhere. Not while Katsu-chan is here."

"Good girl. I admire your tenacity."

* * *

><p>CCX: Oh, dear, it took a turn for the dramatic again. This wasn't supposed to be one of those stories.<p>

CC: Gayngst. Kind of unavoidable. Also, most of this month's ridiculous output was in a fandom far more dramatic than this one.

CCX: True. I noticed the same "Eros vs. Agape" theme developing here that I'd had in _The Scene_, in this case with Suki mistaking Hanna's Agape feelings towards Katsura for Eros, and I remembered seeing some other parallels, too…

CC: It's okay, you can say it. You already revealed that Mrs. Ichirei is dead, although it would be folly to really call her a "parallel" given the way Miki feels about her mother.

CCX: …Point taken.

* * *

><p>"So I suppose you weren't able to avoid them…" Miki said, as Arisa rejoined the other girls.<p>

"There's just too many of them, I guess," Arisa replied. "Didn't expect to end up carrying food alongside an _actual_ 10-year-old, though. She seemed nice enough, if a bit annoying. Her sister hates me, though."

"How could anyone hate you?" Suzuka asked.

"I think she can somehow tell that Suki-tan and I aren't just friends."

"Oh? You have a rival now?" Shinamori asked.

"Hardly. I trust Suki-tan; she won't cheat on me with that kitten."

"…Kitten?"

"Never mind."

"Well, I guess I'm actually a little disappointed. After Izei calmed me down, I got to thinking that maybe I'd fit in better alongside some of those younger children."

"Wouldn't that just make it worse?" Shinamori asked. "In a group with only other high schoolers, it would at least merit consideration that you might just be a high schooler who looks younger than she is. In a mixed group, it would be easier for anyone who didn't know you to just assume that you were one of the youngest members of the group—and by extension that Kumaya-san's embrace was that of an older sibling rather than that of a boyfriend, even though you two don't really look like siblings at all."

"…I guess you have a point, Shinamori-san."

"Of course I do. Joining up with us might have been the best thing for you. I was just teasing about the presence of a boy cramping our style, but really, a lone guy with a bunch of girls, the obvious assumption is that one of them is his girlfriend." ("I thought the obvious assumption was that he was the 'gay friend'," Suzuka said, but Shinamori didn't even stop talking long enough to acknowledge this) "and since _you're_ the one who he has his arms wrapped around, that makes you the girlfriend. Whereas if it were just the two of you, well, people try to ignore that which they don't want to see, so unless you two got _very_ affectionate, people would opt to view it as a loving brother taking his cute little sister to see the festival."

"…You really think so?"

Shinamori nodded, and Izei added, "Yeah. I had noticed that people hadn't really been staring at us the way they did at the dance. I guess as long as I keep it subtle, I can keep you close to me here and no one will even think it's weird. I definitely like that."

"Yeah…makes me long for the day when you don't have to worry about being seen with me at all."

"Miki. You _know_ that I'm not ashamed of loving you. Yes, I agree that it would make it easier for us to be seen as a couple in public if you were more physically mature, but like Shinamori-san said earlier, I have always been your champion and I will defend my love for you against anyone who challenges it."

"…Idiot. This is why I always carry an ID with me wherever I go, so that I can always prove my age."

"…Most people would just accuse it of being an obvious fake anyway. No offense…"

"Hey, I _have_ started developing a little."

"I know. It's the first time in a long time that you weren't depressed as hell on measurement day."

"I was hoping you'd noticed for yourself… Anyway, if anyone challenges my ID as fake I'll tell them to wait a week or two and I'll bleed on their head."

"Perhaps 'champion' wasn't the best word. You truly can be so foul at times…but then again, you have every right to be a bit grumpy. And I'll…make everything better." He picked her up.

Normally Miki protested whenever someone did this, but…she just blushed. "…Pervert. I knew you couldn't resist forever."

The others giggled. _"I like these people. Jugo-san turning me down might have been the best thing to happen to me in a long time. Yeah, rejection hurt, but…it wasn't so bad."_

* * *

><p>CCX: Well, good for you, Kaburagi-san. I'm just sorry that my tardiness robbed you of another spotlight chapter for when you asked him out in the first place (which also would've covered Kokuro's date with Kusakabe; he got an even rawer deal than you did) and then Hanna kind of stole this one. The "reference document" is up to two pages now with the addition of three new OCs, though it's not strictly an OC list—the story of Miki's tragic past is in there too. So I forget, is 16 updates in a calendar month a new personal record, or did something like May 2011 beat that out?<p>

CC: Probably just as likely June as May, what with both Yukkuri Story _and_ The Adventures of Team 9 Catering updating. But yeah, I doubt you've—we've—ever been this prolific in a month.

CCX: Well, May and June of last year were my two biggest months for traffic.

CC: Larger fics—_The Scarlet Devil_ was still in progress a little, too—and Touhou's a bigger fandom than Katawa Shoujo. But this is definitely a month to be proud of, and there's still time for more if you want.

CCX: Might do that. Probably more likely to be Chapter 6 of _The Scarlet Devil 2_ than Chapter 18 of this story, though—all I've really got planned for Chapter 18 so far is Hanna confronting Atsuya.

CC: That's a shame. This largely OC-centric story is actually pretty good for us, I think.

CCX: …You obviously missed the tweet where I previewed Chapter 6 of _The Scarlet Devil 2_. It's…going to be a bit like Chapter 4 was. For the second time today, it's both CCX and the original CC, signing off!

* * *

><p>CC: ...Hold it. Whatever happened to Kaburagi seemingly catching on to Suzuka's true sexuality just before a cutaway?<p>

CCX: I knew there was something I'd forgotten, a reason why I'd wanted to go back to the high schoolers at the end. That's what it was. But in retrospect, it would've broken the flow. Not enough meat to it to warrant its own section. I guess it happened off-screen. So, yeah, Kaburagi knows the truth now. That makes...four-well, seven including the three Aces over in Mid-Childa-who know the truth about Suzuka. And of those seven, four have slept with her.

CC: _Four_?

CCX: ...Well, maybe only three, but take another look at the end of Chapter 11. It certainly seems to imply that Suzuka and Shinamori have at least _some_ sort of physical relationship, though looking at the beginning of Chapter 12, I don't think they've gone all the way. But, yeah, Suzuka has kind of gotten around.


	18. Chapter 18

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: Still the same as it ever was.

CCX: Okay, got an idea for a chapter that chronologically is still a ways away, so hopefully it's gonna be full speed ahead for awhile.

…he wrote, and then didn't write anything else for the next four-and-a-half days. :-)

*same day as previous chapter*

"Oh dearest big brother? Is there something you were keeping from me?"

"I…don't think so," Atsuya said, confused.

"Really? Because I seem to have remembered where I'd seen your date to last month's school dance before…which got me to wondering who Chikuro-san's date was."

"…You know."

Hanna nodded. "I confronted her on it. She told me that you wanted to protect me… but I don't think I'm the one who needs protecting. She swore me to secrecy on the matter…and I plan to honor that, for now."

"So does this mean you're leaving her thrall?"

Hanna laughed at her brother's choice of words. "Like I said, there are others who need protection. I don't want to see Katsu-tan hurt… She really seems to love Suki-sempai. I think she might actually be _in_ love… and I want to see her happy."

"Even if it means she won't be with you?"

"…Suki-sempai made the same mistake. I don't feel _that_ way about Katsura-chan. My love for her is purer than that. I don't need her love…only her happiness. That's all I need to be happy."

"That's deep. Too deep for someone your age."

"…Jerk." Atsuya was left rubbing his arm after Hanna left, victim of an Indian burn.

* * *

><p>*July*<p>

"Ah, I've been waiting for this," Arisa said.

"Why? You've seen more of me than this before," Suki replied.

"Yeah, but it's not the same." Being Arisa's girlfriend, Suki had been invited along on the trip to the beach—though, for the purpose of appearances, Tatsuke had been invited along as well.

"Agreed. Glad to have _something_ to be happy about. You look wonderful, Suki-chan."

"You're not so bad yourself, Suzuka-chan. But why are you unhappy?"

"Oh, no reason…" While an _all_-girl outing wouldn't seem so weird, a strongly lopsided gender ratio would appear off, so Suzuka invited some guys along.

Like Kokuro.

Who brought Kusakabe. The bookish girl seemed uncomfortable, but this wasn't exactly surprising—hers was a body that would invite a lot of attention.

"Damn, I can see why Jugo-kun was interested in Kusakabe-san," Kaburagi said. "Meek, unassuming, and totally stacked. Only thing I can't figure is why he gave up on her."

"He was probably too impatient. She doesn't seem like the type who would put out on the first date," Shinamori said.

"That could be it."

Kokuro was trying, unsuccessfully, to convince her to come into the water. "I don't want to. People will stare at me. B-besides, I didn't bring any goggles, and, well, I can't wear my glasses into the water…"

"Have you thought of getting contacts? Uh, not that I don't think you look cute with glasses, because you do."

"I don't think I'd be able to put them in. It would bother me too much."

* * *

><p>CCX: Amen to that. Luckily I don't need glasses all the time, just for seeing distances—although my biggest problem is that I put on and take off my glasses so frequently that I sometimes forget where I put them. In fact, at the time I wrote that last sentence I wasn't quite sure where they were and it was the act of doing so that reminded me that I had taken off my glasses at dinner last night and might have forgotten to take them with me afterwards. Sure enough, they were sitting at my spot at the kitchen table.<p>

* * *

><p>"Okay, then. I guess I'll just stay here with you."<p>

"You don't have to do that, Kokuro-san."

"Don't worry about it. I'd rather be spending the time with you."

"Aah~… You're so sweet…"

* * *

><p>"Wow. Have you been growing a bit more, or is it just more noticeable in that bikini?"<p>

"Flattery will get you nowhere. I think it's just more noticeable. But…thanks for noticing."

"Hey, isn't it my job to notice you? And I thought 'flattery' was exactly what we _didn't_ want."

Miki laughed. "Well, I'm still far flatter than most. Did you know that they don't sell separate bikini tops and bottoms in the children's section? My bottom can _finally_ just about fit into the smallest junior size, but my top…" She quickly ran her hand down her chest. "Still flat as ever."

"Well, you still look cute. And I don't have to worry about being seen getting close to you because like you said before, you're more than willing to prove your age."

"True. I've got my ID as always, and if anyone says it's fake I'll smack them in the head with a used tampon."

Izei put his arms around her midriff. "My adorable, vulgar, youthful, ticklish girlfriend."

"Yeah…wait, what? Ah! Izei!" Miki was soon squirming on the ground laughing as Izei tickled her.

"Hey, you lovebirds, keep it down. You want to draw attention to yourselves?" Suzuka asked, somewhat jokingly.

"I still find it slightly depressing that the loli of our group is one of the only ones in a stable, loving relationship," Shinamori said. "Though I'm happy for her."

"Quick to qualify yourself, aren't you?" Suzuka teased.

Shinamori smiled grimly. "I'll admit, I'm ashamed of the way I treated Ichirei-san in junior high. She's really a pretty nice person once you get past all of that rage about her lacking physical dimensions. And she's even been lightening up about _that _a little since she started dating Kumaya-san."

"Everyone has their flaws," Suzuka agreed. "Hey, watch it. You really _are_ going to draw attention to yourselves if you keep that up and I'm pretty sure that regardless of whether he questioned the validity of your ID, hitting a police officer with a bloody tampon would get you arrested." The tickle fest had devolved into making out, Izei atop Miki. They turned over so that Miki was on top. "Better. I think that'll probably look less like someone's being taken advantage of."

"Yeah, at least until I take my top off," Miki cracked back. "Kidding! I'm not going to do that. Here. Although… Because I'm so flat, if I kept my bare chest pressed up against Izei-kun's, it wouldn't even be indecent exposure. It's not like there'd be any sideboob."

"Miki!" Izei shouted.

"I'm not going to do it; I was just saying, I probably could. Are you saying that you don't _want_ me to rub my breasts all over you? Are these tiny breasts not good enough for you?"

Izei knew Miki well enough not to fall for her teasing and sent it right back at her. "You're plenty woman enough for me, little Miki-chan. But this isn't the time or the place."

"…Of course not."

"…Listen. I know you don't like being so small, and perhaps some our friends aren't the best at being subtle in their relationships, but all of these comments, they aren't exactly attractive. I think you're starting to confuse love with lust, and I'm sorry, Miki, but I have no lust for you as you are right now. But that shouldn't matter, because I _am_ deeply in love with you."

"Yeah, I know. I love you too, Izei… It's just not fair, though. I'm growing up in every meaningful way except physically. It's perfectly natural to have a healthy sex drive during adolescence, isn't it? And that's what I am, an adolescent. I just don't look like it."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you're still beautiful."

"I thought you said you weren't physically attracted to me?"

"I said I wasn't _sexually_ attracted to you, as you are right now. But I'm sure you'll grow eventually, and when you do, you're going to be stunning."

"Thanks. I think I'm going to just work on my tan for awhile."

"…_And she still found an excuse to take her top off. Well, at least she's not being indecent… although with her mentality, I wouldn't put it past her to not put it back on before turning over onto her back."_ Izei continued to look at his diminutive, nearly-nude girlfriend. _"She's right, though. I'm not going to be able to wait forever… and she's so beautiful even now, I kind of _do_ want to be able to do that for her."_

* * *

><p>"I'm a little disappointed that there aren't more guys here. And most of the ones who are here are already taken."<p>

"Surely that couldn't have been your only reason for coming here, Yuna-chan," Shinamori replied.

"Well, I guess it's not the _only_ reason, but I certainly didn't come here to show off this body to girls."

"Vanity doesn't suit you. Though I have to admit, you do look dynamite."

"You're not so bad yourself, Kanna-chan."

"You flatter me too much. Didn't you _have_ a boyfriend, anyway?"

"I don't think I'd say that we were ever really boyfriend and girlfriend. We dated a few times, and I guess we enjoyed each other's company, but there was no real spark. I'm surprised you haven't had anyone."

"That's because she's never looking," Suzuka said. "I understand what you mean about a lack of spark… although, what happens when one person feels a spark and the other one doesn't? Um, not that that necessarily applies to your situation… although it might, because I don't really know you…I'm Tsukimura Suzuka; Kanna-chan and I are in the same class, and we've become friends that way."

"Fusabi Yuna; I'm a cheerleader too, and Kanna-chan's one of the nicest girls on the squad."

"I'm sure she is," Suzuka said, receiving a kick to the shin for her trouble. "She's a friend you can count on. A bit abrasive sometimes, but always has her friends' backs."

"Yeah, I know. So if it wasn't my situation you were talking about, then I'm guessing maybe you're feeling that way?" Fusabi asked.

"Yeah… I've had a bunch of dates since getting into high school, and some of them even want a second date, but the only one that I'm actually interested in going out with again didn't feel the spark at all and wants to be just friends."

"And does he know how you feel about him?"

"I don't think so. I tried to be direct at one point, but I wasn't direct enough…and I can't say anything now because he's dating someone else. She seems like a good person, too, someone I'd probably be friends with if we met under different circumstances. I don't know her too well, but she seems a lot like me…or rather, like what I used to be like back in junior high… except she's got two very big things that I don't have. I'm not suggesting that that's why he likes her, because they're in the same club and I'm only not in that club as well because I joined the Student Council, but how can I compete with someone that looks like that and can easily match me in personality?"

"Hey, don't sell yourself short, Tsukimura-san. Yeah, you might not have a great body yet, but you're pretty in your own way. I certainly wouldn't mind having hair like that."

"I don't know if you'd look good with purple hair, Yuna-chan," Kanna said. (CCX: As much as I like her surname, I can't go on referring to her by it in the narration when most of the major characters are on first-name basis with her now and she probably has the second-most screen time of any OC.)

Suzuka agreed, "Yeah. Do you mind me asking about your hair color? Blonde isn't exactly a common color among full-blooded Japanese, but you don't look particularly foreign otherwise."

"I'm not. This isn't my natural hair color, though I've been dyeing it since my final year of elementary school."

"It works for you."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But I'm thinking about changing it. Maybe I'd look good as a redhead?" She looked up. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Tsukimura-san. See you around."

"So, Kanna-chan…just how _'nice'_ have you been to Fusabi-san?"

"Thanks for at least having the decency to wait until she left to ask that. She's quite obsessed with guys, though, and only with guys. I don't think she has the slightest suspicion that I'm a lesbian, and I have no intention of letting her find out, because then I'd lose out on seeing that wonderful sight sauntering around the locker room." She nodded at Fusabi, who was flirting with a group of guys and jiggling with every step she took.

"Wait, that's just the way she always moves? I thought she was intentionally shaking her assets to impress those guys."

"Well, she is. Her breasts don't normally move that much. But that ass wiggle is still there even when she's not trying to catch a guy's eye, if perhaps slightly less pronounced."

"Are all of the cheerleaders that pretty?"

"Nah, Yuna-chan's one of the hottest. There are some pretty plain girls, too. But none of us are ugly."

"Just kind of generic?"

"Exactly."

* * *

><p>"Miki, wake up. You fell asleep."<p>

"Mm…wha? Izei, what are you doing here…it's supposed to be the girl who wakes her boyfriend up for school…"

"It's not a school day. It's summer, and we're at the beach. You were sunbathing."

"Oh. So that's why my back feels so warm. I'm not sunburnt, am I?" She turned around to try to look at her own back.

"Um, Miki-chan…"

"Yes? Why are you staring?"

"You, uh, you're kind of…showing the world something that you probably shouldn't be."

"…Yeah. I may look prepubescent, but I'm still not boyish enough to get away with this. So…did you like what you saw?"

"Still trying to be forward. You really should act more ladylike, you know."

"You're not answering the question."

"I… I think you're beautiful. _All_ of you. But we're still not having sex."

"Good answer."

* * *

><p>CCX: Arisa barely featured in that chapter at all…I guess I still really don't know what to do with her when Suki's stuck playing straight. Which, now that I think about it, seems especially stupid because the foregone conclusion of this fic is that Arisa ends up with Suzuka. Anyway, omake time!<p>

* * *

><p>Omake—Grade S<p>

Kanna: You know, Ichirei-san, you should try wearing your hair in pigtails sometime. Your popularity would skyrocket.

Miki: Psh. Popularity with lolicons, maybe.

Kanna: Not necessarily. Well, yeah, them too, but lolicon or not, boys go crazy for the grade S zettai ryouiki.

Miki: Absolute what? What are you talking about?

Kanna: You already have the grade A zettai ryouiki _and_ the tsundere personality that's half the requirement for upgrading it to grade S. All you need is the twintails. It's an appearance thing.

Miki: I am not a tsundere! Anyway, how would you know what drives boys wild?

Kanna: What do you mean by that? And yes, you totally are.

Miki: Am not.

Suzuka: *entering* You kind of are, though I'm surprised Kanna-chan would say so because I didn't think you'd ever shown her your deredere side.

Miki: My deredere side was not in question! I always saw myself as more of a kuudere, though.

Kanna: You're not serious.

Miki: I am. They didn't exactly use that word, but that's how I was categorized back when—well, back when.

Kanna: By whom?

Suzuka: Never mind that. *shoots Kanna a look telling her to drop the issue* I wouldn't doubt that you were a kuudere at one point in time, but you've long since broken out of that mold and turned into a tsundere. You dodged Kanna-chan's other question.

Miki: Well, she's not actually _into_ boys, is she? I mean, I heard rumors back in junior high…never mind. We agreed to put junior high behind us, right, Shinamori-san?

Kanna: Yeah. Well, give it some thought, okay? *leaves*

Miki: …Not likely.

* * *

><p>Ja ne!<p> 


	19. Chapter 19

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Some characters and one song are not mine, but most characters are.

…wait, _song?_

*early to mid-August*

"Once again I think you might be the prettiest one here," Suzuka said. "You really do look like a little princess when you get dressed up like this."

Miki laughed. "Thanks, but I'm still going to be wishing for the same thing I've wished for for the past three years."

"Yeah, I figured as much."

"What are you going to wish for?"

"That's a secret. You're not supposed to tell. …Don't worry, it's okay that I know your wish because it's pretty easy to predict."

"Aw, you're no fun."

"I think I have an idea what Suzuka might wish for," Arisa said. "Perhaps something involving a certain crush of hers returning her feelings?"

"Do you really think I'm that shallow?" Suzuka shot back, though Arisa wasn't all that far off.

"Yeah, I'm not seeing it. The Suzuka-chan I know isn't the type to obsess over boys, in spite of her popularity with them."

"How is it that a friend I've only known for a few months already knows me better than one I've known for most of my life?" Suzuka teased.

"Yeah, right. I seriously doubt Ichirei-san _knows_ you the way I _know_ you."

"Too true, but _she's_ not supposed to know that," Suzuka said under her breath, as the fact that Arisa knew her in the biblical sense was very much on her mind. After all, Arisa's only error was thinking that it was Kokuro who was on Suzuka's mind…

"_I want Arisa to be mine forever."_

_When you wish upon a star  
>Makes no difference who you are<br>Anything your heart desires  
>Will come to you<em>

Suki's jaw dropped. "Wow, Katsu-tan, you look…incredible. You really do look like a china doll." Katsura blushed. "…And now, perhaps not quite as much."

"Me too?" Natsume asked eagerly.

Suki laughed. "Yes, you're very lovely too, Natsu-tan."

"Thank you, oneesama," Katsura said. "That means a lot, coming from you."

"Yeah. It's going to be tough for any Tanabata wish to compare to what Katsu-chan's already received," Hanna said.

"Hanna-chan!" Katsura and Mayu both yelled.

"…Sorry."

"It's… okay…" Suki said.

"…Thanks." Hanna knew better. It wasn't okay, because it was the truth. Hanna knew what Katsura would wish for, and thanks to her conversation with Suki at the solstice festival, Suki probably knew also. Katsura's wish would no doubt involve Suki somehow. "You're too kind." The implication was obvious to Suki. _"You're killing her with kindness. Either tone it down or tell her the truth."_

"What's got you in such a bad mood, Hanna-chan?" Mayu asked.

"I'm not in a bad mood," Hanna replied.

"Don't give me that," Katsura said. "I know you better than that, Hanna. Something's wrong."

"…No it isn't."

Katsura pulled Hanna aside. "…I'm sorry."

"…What? What are you apologizing for?"

"This is my fault, isn't it?" She put her arms around Hanna. "You know you're still my best friend, right?"

"Of course. Nothing's ever going to come between us, right?"

"…But that's exactly what's happened. My…love, for ne—_Sempai_, is getting in the way of our friendship."

"Katsu-chan, you know that's not the case at all. Yes, I realized that your feelings for Suki-sempai go beyond what the rest of us feel, and I'm okay with that. If she's what will make you happy, then I support that. But…you're not."

"Not what?"

"Happy."

"Well, of course not. My best friend is unhappy, and it's my fault. How could I be happy knowing that?"

Hanna laughed. "It's not your fault. Not directly, anyway. It's hers. Like I said…she's too kind. Saying such sweet things to you, who are in love with her… Doesn't it hurt?"

"Of course it does. I want to confess to her, even though she's not interested in girls that way." A jolt went through Hanna's chest, knowing the inaccuracy of this statement. "But just being with her, receiving her praise, makes me happy enough that I just keep moving on. I know how wrong it is, but I was never as strong as you."

"Um, Katsu-chan?"

"…Don't get me wrong. I know that after admitting that I might like girls, saying such things about you could be taken the wrong way. It's not like that. I've just always admired your strength of character. You're the type of person I wish I could be. …Knowing how you've always fought for me, I'm surprised you haven't called Sempai out on her behavior."

"What would you say if I told you I had?"

"…Well, you obviously didn't do a good enough job, because she's still saying those things."

"I've probably already said too much, since I promised I wouldn't say anything…but then again, _your_ feelings were part of what helped me figure it out. So I can't help it if you figured out the truth on your own."

"The…truth?"

"I've said too much."

"_I want Katsura-chan to find true happiness."_

_If your heart is in your dream  
>No request is too extreme<br>When you wish upon a star  
>As dreamers do<em>

Arisa greeted Suki with a kiss. "There's my perfect girl. I can't imagine how you even have anything to wish for."

"You're one to talk. You've got it all."

"Bullshit. There are still a few…things missing from my life."

"You hesitated."

"…Okay, a few _people_."

"You're still holding a candle?"

"I think you mean 'carrying a torch'. And no, it's…not about that, although I won't deny that I had feelings for some of them."

"Arisa, whatever it is, you can tell me."

"…No, I don't think I can. There are some things that just have to remain a secret to everyone."

"…'A secret to everyone'?"

"…Yeah."

"Have they…not been keeping in touch?"

"It's…kind of tough for them to do so."

"Well, then, I guess I'll wish for them on your behalf as well."

"So I was right. You _don't_ have anything to wish for for yourself."

"…Well, okay, maybe."

"Oneesama." Katsura's voice was calm and even.

"Katsu-tan?"

"…How do you really see me? Am I…just an admirer? Or is there a chance that I could be something more someday?" Suki didn't respond. "Don't blame Hanna-chan. She just wants what's best for me…and she didn't actually _say_ anything, just that there _was_ something that she wasn't saying and that it was something that I'd probably already realized myself. And I wasn't sure what it was until I came back over to see you, and felt that familiar feeling, the one I always get when Bannings-san is around. It's jealousy; I realize that now. I thought it was just because I wanted to be the one who was closest to you and didn't like seeing another close friend, but that was never it, was it? Rather, it was that she represented what I'd always longed for. That you could love a girl that way…the way that I love you."

"…Katsu-tan…"

Katsura was in tears. "I'm sorry…please, forget I said anything."

"I can't do that." Suki pulled Katsura close and kissed the top of her head. "You mean too much to me." Arisa silently walked away. "Wait, Ari-chan, don't go!" Suki started after her. She made it all of about three steps before turning around and heading back to Katsura. "…Well, I'm sure things will be fine between us. Right now, I think maybe I should stay with you."

Katsura nodded, hoping that Suki would embrace her again. That gentle touch, that pleasant scent…and of course, the softness of her chest. Katsura had spent so much time looking up at Suki that she'd never realized how perfect their height difference was. Little did she know that Suki had figured that out a long time ago—seven chapters, to be precise. _"Best Tanabata ever."_

"_I want Suki-neesama to see me as more than just an admirer."_

_Fate is kind  
>She brings to those who love<br>The sweet fulfillment of  
>Their secret longing<em>

"What's got _you_ looking so down?" Suzuka asked.

"Himiya-chan finally confessed to Suki-tan. We both knew it would happen eventually, but…it still hurts."

"You know Suki-tan still loves you," Suzuka said.

"Yeah…she did call after me when I left her, but…she stayed with Himiya-chan."

"…I'm here for you."

"I know." Suzuka put her arms around Arisa. "You're not worried about being seen like this?"

"What? Comforting a friend? No, not at all."

"…Of course. A…friend."

"Well, of course you mean more to me than that, but it's definitely a plausible enough public explanation if anyone questions our closeness."

"…Of course. So, your wish really wasn't about your secret crush?"

"It really wasn't about my secret crush," Suzuka said. _"After all, you already _know_ how I feel about you…more or less."_

"Maybe it was the same one I made, then."

Suzuka smiled. "You're not supposed to tell, remember?"

"Yeah, well, it's not like I'd tell mine to anyone else."

"…I guess that's one thing we have in common. Though I doubt we made the same wish."

"What makes you think that?"

"Just a hunch."

"…Wanna go to the Midoriya tomorrow?"

Suzuka smiled, the apparent change of topics bolstering her suspicions. "Sure. I'd love to."

"_My wish is for Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate to remain safe and for them to be able to return to Earth one day, alive and well."_

_Like a bolt out of the blue  
>Fate steps in and sees you through<br>When you wish upon a star  
>Your dreams come true<em>

CCX: The idea to integrate this song into the fic just sort of came to me as I was waking up in the morning a few days ago, and since Tanabata would be coming up soon in the story anyway, it really was a perfect fit. And really, that's the iconic Disney song, which makes it appropriate in almost anything related to anime because the first anime were largely inspired by Disney's work. This is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	20. Chapter 20

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: Despite the abundance of original characters, this is still a fanfic and should be treated as such.

Chapter 20

*the next day*

"You're still here…"

"Of course I'm still here."

"…Why?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Suki asked.

"It's not…awkward?"

"Not at all. I had a feeling it would happen eventually…and I was kind of hoping. You're really pretty, you know that? Oops, there we go again. I really should try to stop making you blush so much."

"That might not be easy…" Katsura said, mumbling, "and it'll probably only get worse…" Before Suki could press her on what she'd just said, she added, "Imouto-chan was happy you stayed the night, too."

"Does she know that your feelings for me might not be the same as hers?"

"Of course not. She's 10, remember? I don't think she's even thinking about romance yet, let alone the idea of… of two girls being romantic together."

"You don't sound terribly certain about it yourself."

"I'm not. But that's just it. I'm _not certain._"

"Yeah, I get it. You're getting to that age, and you're curious, and then you meet a cool sempai who is interested in girls and is willing to teach you, and…yeah."

"How did you know?"

"Because I went through the same thing."

"No, I meant how did you know that you liked both boys and girls?"

"I didn't. Didn't I just tell you that? I was in the exact same position you're in now just last year."

"Right. So it was Bannings-san…" Suki nodded. "I'm…a little nervous."

"Don't be. It's not like I jumped right into having a full-blown relationship with Ari-chan. Heck, at one point I called her my girlfriend and she said she felt more like a mistress than a girlfriend. …That probably sounds worse out of context. Our relationship didn't start out quite like _that_."

"Should you really be telling me all of this? You still have feelings for Bannings-san, don't you?"

"Of course. I love her. But…I love you, too."

"And Hayama-san?"

"Yes, him too."

* * *

><p>"Hey, not that I don't like Shina-chan, but wasn't this trip going to be just the two of us?" Arisa asked.<p>

"This is a public place, right? So it's not like you two were going to be getting all touchy-feely."

"T-true…" Suzuka said, "although there would always be a chance that we'd be invited in, in which case it is a private residence."

"Yeah, but you're still theoretically keeping your sexuality a secret," Arisa said.

"Given who my friends are, it wouldn't surprise me if the Takamachis always just assumed I was in the closet anyway."

"Oh? Now I'm even more intrigued as to why Ari-chan was disappointed that I'm here too. Why _did_ you invite me, then, Suzu-chan?"

"Why the hell do you think? You're my friend, and I wanted to treat you. I know it's a day early, but…"

"What's a day early?" Arisa asked.

Kanna grinned. "Tomorrow's my birthday."

"Oh, well then, happy birthday!"

"And now to answer _your_ questions," Suzuka said. "I'm sure you've heard the two of us talking about our friends who moved away last year. The Midoriya is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Takamachi, the parents of our dear friend Nanoha."

"Wait, your friend's parents still live in Japan?"

"Yeah, the three of them left for…it's not really a foreign exchange program, but I guess it's sort of like that…"

"Right. The three friends whom you both miss so dearly yet are strangely evasive about their current whereabouts."

"Eh?" Both Arisa and Suzuka seemed surprised by this assessment.

"That's why Ari-chan was disappointed that I'm here. You won't be able to speak freely about this big secret with me around."

"You're imagining things, Kanna-chan," Suzuka said.

"Table for three, please!"

"Oh, my, Arisa-chan!" Momoko Takamachi said happily, "I don't think I've seen you since Nanoha-chan left! And Suzuka-chan…I don't believe I've met you, though."

"Shinamori Kanna," she introduced herself. "Pleasure to meet you, Takamachi-san. Arisa-chan and Suzuka-chan talk about your sister a lot."

The other three laughed. "Thank you for the compliment, Shinamori-chan; I think you mean my daughter." Kanna looked summarily stunned. "What can I get for you?"

Suzuka ordered for both herself and Kanna, allowing Arisa to choose for herself because she had been there before and also because Suzuka wasn't paying for her food—not that money would really be much of a concern. "That's your friend's _mother_? She looks like she's about 20!"

"I think she has the same 'affliction' that Miki-san has, but was fortunate enough to reach adulthood before it took effect. She looked exactly like that when we first met her almost a decade ago," Suzuka said.

"For someone to look eternally ten years old is an affliction. For someone to look eternally twenty years old is, well, magic."

"…Magic?" both girls asked nervously.

"Yeah, you know, like those silly TV shows with all of the flashy lights and transformation sequences where for some reason nobody seems to recognize the girls after they've transformed even though they look exactly the same aside from having cooler clothes?"

"Yeah, that's so unrealistic," Arisa said. "If someone you knew was a magical girl, you'd still recognize them if you saw them transformed even if you didn't see them transforming, right?"

"Of course. But that's all just fantasy. Speaking of which…what's with all the secrecy?"

"What secrecy?"

"Okay, how about I ask you directly then: just where _is_ Takamachi-chan?"

"…That's a…very interesting segue," Suzuka noted.

"Well, we were talking about people with secret identities—and, I suppose, the people who keep their secrets."

"Were we?"

"I can't imagine a trio of high schoolers doing something so cloak-and-dagger, though. And it doesn't seem as though something bad happened and everyone is just trying to talk like they just went away for awhile, although I don't know for whose benefit that would be. But on the other hand, it would be easy enough to lie and give an actual location, so the vagueness only makes it seem…like they really are gone for good."

"They're not gone for good! Nanoha-chan and the others will come back!" Arisa fervently returned, and Suzuka grabbed her arm to try to calm her down.

"That sounded more like you were trying to convince yourself. What's wrong?"

"It's…like you said. There's really no way for us to know how they're doing. They're…let's just say they're far, _far_ away from here."

"…You said you've known Takamachi-chan for nearly a decade. What about Yagami-chan and Testarossa-chan? About…seven years?"

"Y-yeah…a bit less with Hayate-chan, but that's about right. How'd you know?"

"That's all I need to hear. There are some things in this world you just can't explain." Momoko returned with their food, and they dug in.

* * *

><p>"So what now?"<p>

"You tell me, Katsu-tan. Obviously there won't be any locker room shower groping like there was with me and Ari-chan." Katsura turned red again, and Suki made a face. "I don't want to do anything you're uncomfortable with."

"Then…I'll let you know if you do anything wrong." She buried herself in Suki's chest, the older girl gently stroking her hair."

"Heh…I guess you liked my hug yesterday, then?" Katsura merely nodded, and Suki tried not to laugh as she felt Katsura's response. "I'm glad. I'd hate to think that I'd made an empty threat—even if it was a meaningless one."

Katsura looked up. "Aren't they the same thing?"

"Well, I told Ari-chan that if she cheated on me, I was going to do, pretty much that, to try to pique your interest in girls if you didn't have one already. But of course, you do. Maybe."

"Aren't you cheating on her, then?"

"…Probably. Though to be honest, I'm more worried about Tatsu-kun finding out. It was hard enough to get him to accept having to share me with Arisa."

"…Maybe this was a mistake."

"You're not happy?"

"_You're_ not happy. Maybe I'm just trying to be noble, but I feel like I'm just getting in your way. You and Bannings-san…I'm jealous of the way you two are. I can tell…she's really special to you. Moreso than I ever could be."

"Don't say that. You don't know that. I guess maybe at the moment, she and I have more between us because we've been together longer, but that could change."

"Do you want it to change?"

"…I don't know how to answer that. I don't want to grow apart with Ari-chan, but I can't say that I don't want to grow closer to you, so…I don't know."

"…Just go. Let it play out as it will."

"Yeah. That's probably for the best."

* * *

><p>"Ah, Shina-chan! I didn't expect to see you here. This place isn't really well-known except with the locals…"<p>

"Well, then, it's a good thing I'm friends with a pair of locals, Chi-chan. Suzu-chan and Ari-chan are from around here and are good friends with the owner's daughter."

"Ah, right, yes, I think I remember seeing you around. We didn't really cross paths, though, being in different years. You're friends of Nanoha-san?"

"You know her?"

"No, I've never met her, but working for her parents, I hear a lot about her. They really miss her…something about studying abroad?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Hey, Chi-chin!" a male voice called out.

"Kenichin, stop calling me that! Geez, why do you have to bother me at work? If you and your friends weren't paying customers, I'd have you thrown out."

"Yeah, well, we are. I even brought a date today."

"This isn't a date. This is me doing a favor for some friends."

"You just had to find the most cynical one possible, didn't you, Tatsu-kun?"

"Maybe you should be more careful what you wish for, Kengo," Tatsuke replied.

"…Tatsuke-san? Wow, small world…and you I've met before as well."

"You most certainly have. You also took my brother to a school dance back in May," Hanna replied.

"Ah. So you're Watagami-chan."

"Yep."

"You know my brother's friends?" the waitress asked.

"Just a couple of them. Tatsuke-san's dating another close friend of mine," Arisa replied. "I should introduce myself; I'm Arisa Bannings."

"Keigo Chiharu."

"Well met, Keigo-san." She returned to the table. "Okay, Shina-chan, how is it that you know someone who went to our school better than we do?"

"She's a cheerleader too."

"Of course."

* * *

><p>Tatsuke made an excuse to leave his table and sat down in the booth with the three girls. "So what happened yesterday?"<p>

"What do you mean?"

"Suki-chan just sort of disappeared. I thought maybe she'd hooked up with you."

"You didn't know? Himiya-chan confessed to her last night."

"…She told you?"

"No…I was there. I left after the emotions started pouring out…she started to follow me, but…she didn't."

"She…stayed with Himiya-chan." Arisa nodded. "So when Watagami-chan said she was doing a favor for some friends…she wasn't referring to me _or_ Suki-chan. She was talking about Himiya-chan. This timing wasn't coincidental; she wanted to keep me occupied."

"…What?"

"Kengo is…nominally a friend, but when he asked me to try to set him up with one of Suki-chan's fanclub… She knew that I wouldn't trust him enough to give him a solo date, and she volunteered to keep me from looking into Suki-chan's location."

"She doesn't like you?"

"No, that's not it. But it's obvious that she's only part of Suki-chan's group because Himiya-chan is. She puts Himiya-chan's happiness ahead of her own."

"And that means supporting Himiya-chan's relationship with Suki-tan?"

"…I don't think her feelings for Himiya-chan are romantic. I don't know what they are, but they're not romantic."

"…So how are we going to deal with this new threat?"

Tatsuke grinned. "I was hoping you'd have an answer to that, but I'm glad to hear you say 'we'. I'd better get back to Kengo, though, before Watagami-chan starts suspecting something."

* * *

><p>CCX: It only seemed right to add a new character there rather than re-using an existing one, and this was a good way to bring a little-used existing one back into the narrative, as well as allowing Tatsuke a little character development of his own; he's been more or less a satellite character to Suki thus far. 20 chapters and we're still only in August; I'm pretty sure that this will go at least to another New Year's. This is CCX, signing off.<p> 


	21. Chapter 21

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: …Ah, screw it.

Chapter 21

*August*

"So, how'd things go with Himiya-chan after I left?"

"Okay, I guess. She's a bit confused right now, and she kind of feels guilty about trying to get between us."

"Does she really? I would never have guessed. I thought she hated me."

"She does," Suki said, "but she can tell how much I love you, and wants to just let the cards fall as they may."

"Good, because Tatsuke-san and I aren't terribly happy about having another competitor."

"…Wait, you told him?"

"I ran into him the next day at Nanoha's parents' shop. He asked where you'd disappeared to at Tanabata, and I told him. Interestingly, he was there with a friend of his who had apparently asked him to set him up with one of your fanclub."

"I thought nothing ever came of that."

"It hadn't…until one of them suddenly volunteered. Which was apparently just a ploy to keep Tatsuke-san away from you and Himiya-chan for as long as possible."

"…Hanna-chan."

"Bingo."

"It would be so much easier on all of us if her feelings for Katsu-tan _were_ romantic. Well…_most_ of us."

"I knew it. You want her."

"Wouldn't you? She's just so adorable!"

Arisa didn't respond, looking sternly at Suki before finally relenting to giving her a passionate, but _angry_, kiss. Suki didn't care that Arisa's actions seemed to have a hostility behind them; they were also fueled by desire, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>*September*<p>

"Okay, so for this year's sports festival, each class is going to choose one event. The main question, as they presented it, was whether to choose an event to accentuate your class's strengths and ensure some victories, or try to pick one that can cover your weaknesses," Suzuka said.

"…What strengths? We'll be lucky to avoid last place."

"Hey, we've got a _few_ athletic students…kind of…"

"I'm probably the third-most athletic person in this class, and I'm a cheerleader," Kanna replied.

"…Play to our few strengths it is, then."

"Well, I might be able to do okay in Class 1-O's event," said the girl who spoke up before. "They're pretty stacked, so they'll probably be covering their weaknesses."

"Hmm…wait, did you say Class 1-_O_?"

* * *

><p>"So since we've got a pretty strong class, we should probably choose an event that caters to our weak links."<p>

"Now, iincho-san, when you say 'weak links', you're referring to…"

"Yes, Gabi-san, I'm referring to myself. Kilo for kilo, I'm probably just as athletic as…well, not _anyone_, but certainly some members of our class. But these little legs aren't going to win any races. Anyone got any ideas for an event that could turn my liability into an asset?"

"Limbo?" suggested the tallest student in the class, Karin Kosuke. (CCX: That's Eastern order—I feel the need to clarify because both names can be used as a given name, but for different genders. Of course, this isn't the first time I've used that surname…)

"Well, that certainly wouldn't be horrible; with my lack of height…and curves, I could coast through the early rounds. But I'm not really that flexible, and that's probably more important in the long run than size. We don't have any members of the gymnastics team in our class, so we might not necessarily win that one."

* * *

><p>CCX: Okay, self-indulgent author's notes time. I can totally vouch for this, from both perspectives. I was always one of the shortest kids in my class—in fact, given how most of the ones who were ahead of me when we were lined up by height (remember when they did that to you in school?) moved away, there might have actually been a point at which I was <em>the<em> shortest fourth grader at my school. Midway through the year, a student moved in who easily took that title, but by then, as you probably remember, I was the shortest _sixth_ grader in the school. (Yes, it was midway through that year that I was officially reclassified two years ahead.) Now, I also had, and to some degree still have, a lot of flexibility, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I usually took first place in limbo at the middle school dances, but my usual final opponent in sixth grade was a seventh-grader who was probably already getting close to six feet tall…_and_ was already curvy. Even as an eighth grader, she ended up in third place, and that was because her younger sister was in sixth by then. (Yes, limbo skill totally _is_ genetic.) But of course, even after I grew, I was still tough to beat at limbo—fast-forward to ninth grade, when I was the age of a seventh grader and thus going to lots of bar mitzvahs, and I was still a champion…except at my own, oddly enough, where it was ended with two people still in it—me and my sister. Like I said, limbo skill is genetic. Of course, less than a year after that the sophomore class skit happened and my knees got all fucked up, and even after that I think I was still fairly decent, even after reaching my full height. Okay, enough self-indulgence.

* * *

><p>Gabi answered, "You know, most festivals do allow some of the students to be cheerleaders. We could probably do a lot with you, 'cause you're so light."<p>

"That won't be necessary," Miki replied. "Although when you put it that way, maybe one of those things with the one competitor on the other's shoulders would work, since I'd be easy to carry."

"What if the Paku twins from class 1-H decided to enter that together? Even on my shoulders, I don't think you'd be able to reach that high," Karin said.

"…True. But I'm not being lifted around for cheerleading, not without people trained for those kind of stunts. I can do plenty on the ground." She demonstrated.

"Iincho-san, that wasn't exactly dignified…"

"What, the panty shot? I don't think any of the boys in our class would bother staring at me."

"Underpants are the soul of a girl. You shouldn't let someone see into your soul."

The rest of the class tried to ignore Gabi's strange comment. "Now, what was that you were saying about there being no gymnasts in this class?" Karin asked.

"…Okay, okay, we'll do the limbo. Better than not contributing anything."

"That's our class rep. Even if you don't come in first, you should be able to help us quite a bit."

* * *

><p>"So I hear that your class is considered one of the favorites to take the first-year title?"<p>

"Haha, yeah, that's what I figure," Miki replied. "I can hardly wait; what little curves I have are in my lower half, so I'm actually starting to prefer shorts to skirts."

"…Okay, if you say so. What about the actual competition?"

"That too."

"I didn't know you had so many athletes in your class," Suzuka said.

"Yeah. Really isn't fair. Just imagine how fearsome we'll be by third year if I actually start growing."

"Not confident in your ability to grow by second year?"

"Well…okay, no, but that was even assuming I did. My current level of athleticism is based on my compact body; a growth spurt would take some time to adjust to."

"You're an athlete?"

"Well, I'm not on any teams here; my lack of size would get in the way for most of them, and besides, I'd rather be on Student Council. But I'm actually pretty fit. …Although, if word gets out about that display I put on during our class meeting, the gymnastics team might try to rope me in. And that's one sport where my size could actually be considered an advantage."

"Wow. Yeah, being small is totally an asset in gymnastics. How good are you?"

"I'm not _that_ good…"

"Yeah, I actually didn't know about that either," Izei said. "But I know the way you attack everything you do, so if you work as hard at that as you do at everything else, you could probably be an Olympian."

"No way."

"Well, you've got the natural gifts for it. Most of those Olympic gymnasts look like they're younger than us, even though there's a minimum age of 16."

"That's the first time I've ever heard anyone refer to my condition as a gift."

"Sorry. I suppose that your boyfriend is the _last_ person you want referring to your appearance as a gift."

"I hadn't even thought of that. I guess you've finally convinced me that I don't need to be sexy to be attractive."

"…Right. Why don't you try actually competing a bit more in gymnastics and see how long you're not sexy."

"You think that'll help me grow?"

"No, I think that guys don't care about how flat gymnasts are because the idea of a super-flexible girl turns them on."

"Pervert."

"Just speaking for the masses."

"Even they're not _that_ flat. Although come to think of it, most of the top gymnasts have more going on down below as well, so if I keep developing the way I am now…"

"That's not just gymnasts. I think they actually did a study. Athletes' butts in general are rather large—male and female."

"…They did a study of athletes' butts?"

"I know, right? Sweet job. I'd kill to be able to do something like that."

"I didn't know you were such a pervert, Suzu-chan. You seem so sweet and demure."

"You're one to talk, Miki-chan."

"Please, me? I'm obviously foulmouthed."

"…True. Anyone who actually spent time with you would know that you're not terribly ladylike. But you do give off an aura of respectability."

"Do I really?"

"Yes, you do, iincho-san," interjected another voice. "I've always thought of you as being very mature for your age, even if your body doesn't necessarily reflect it. …Also, at least at _your _height such a profound lack of curves doesn't look so strange."

"Ah, you're in Miki-san's class? I recognize you…you're on the softball team, right?"

She nodded. "Gabi Kyusai. You're Bannings-san's friend, right? I didn't realize you were also friends with Iincho and her boyfriend."

Suzuka nodded back. "Tsukimura Suzuka. I'm the representative for Class 1-A."

"Class 1-A…" Gabi's face darkened momentarily, but quickly brightened again. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, nice to meet you too."

"Thank you for the compliments," Miki said, adding a bit more quietly, "But you shouldn't be so judgmental."

"Eh?"

"I'm not _that_ dense. Remember, I went to junior high with Shinamori-san, so I've heard the rumors about her—and yes, Suzuka-chan _is_ friends with her. And my initial introduction to Bannings-san was when she was with her girlfriend, so it's easy to see what connection you made. But Suzuka-chan's totally straight, and even if she weren't, I don't think it would make much difference to me."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to."

"…Sorry, iincho-san."

"It's fine."

* * *

><p>CCX: As for the festival itself, well, that would be fairly boring to write. It's the type of thing that works much better in a visual medium. And it took <em>me<em> awhile to remember where Gabi's reference came from, and then I remembered so I was able to go back and get the exact quote. …It figures that's where—and _who_—it would be from, doesn't it? Truly she is the wisest of us all. Until next time, this is CCX, signing off.


	22. Chapter 22

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 22

Disclaimer: There are some things in this story that are not mine.

*late September*

"Thanks for bringing me up here, Ari-chan. It seems like it's been far too long since we've done anything just the two of us."

"Well, you're my girlfriend. I can't stay mad at you. Though…it's not going to be just the _two_ of us…"

"What? I thought this was supposed to be a romantic getaway!" As they arrived, Suki realized what was going on. "I see. You're utilizing your best friend with benefits to help rope me back in. So underhanded…"

"You're one to talk," Arisa retorted.

"It's fine, I don't mind leaving the two of you alone."

"No, no, Suzu-chan, I don't mind. It _has_ been far too long." She kissed Suzuka. "Hmm…I think Ari-chan is better at this."

"Ari-chan is a damn good kisser," Suzuka agreed. "So, ready to get naked?"

* * *

><p>"This place really brings back memories," Suzuka said. "We haven't been here in awhile, have we?"<p>

"Four years. We decided to come back here with Hayate-chan, because she'd never been here."

"Oh? The first time you came here, it was just the four of you still?" Suki asked.

"The three of us, actually. Well, okay, there _were_ four, but we didn't know that at the time."

"I guess Fate-chan was probably here back then, too, don't you think?" Suzuka asked. "Since this was where we first met Arf-san."

"…Arf-san?"

"Fate-chan's…" Arisa trailed off, unsure how to finish that sentence.

"…Oops. I think I just blew it," Suzuka said.

"Whatever happened with Shinamori-chan?"

"She stopped asking. She seemed satisfied once she found out when we first met Fate-chan and Hayate-chan."

"Asking about what?"

"About where our friends went."

"…Right. 'A secret to everyone'. I hadn't even thought that there was something weird going on until I spoke with Arisa-chan at Tanabata…" Suki trailed off. The conversation in question had immediately preceded Katsura's confession.

"…Yeah. You caught me getting wistful, and asked what was wrong, and…I tried to deflect the issue."

"I hadn't ever really thought of it until then. You still talk about them so much, I assumed that you were still in touch with them."

"Maybe that's because you had at least met them before, if not necessarily getting a proper introduction. Shina-chan had _only_ our words to go on, so she was a little more curious as to why they weren't around."

"And you still don't feel you can let me know what's going on?"

"It's not really something that normal people should know. _We_ only found out by accident, a fluke failure of the barriers that should've blocked us out."

"You're talking like they're not really human."

"That's…not exactly correct, at least not for Nanoha-chan and Hayate-chan. But…" Arisa paused, even though she'd already committed to telling Suki the truth. "Magic is real. Not like stage magicians; like honest-to-god magical girls. About seven years ago, Nanoha-chan found a magical artifact, along with a magic-user who was masquerading as a ferret, and took up the mantle of searching for these powerful magical artifacts called Jewel Seeds. A few of them actually got pretty close to us, though somehow we were kept out of the loop. Fate-chan was…an opposing force, though she was not exactly 'evil'."

"About half a year later, Fate-chan returned, fully on the side of 'good', as it were. Around the same time, I met Hayate-chan. At the time, she was in a wheelchair. What we didn't know at the time was that she had discovered another powerful artifact and that her apparent caretakers were in fact magical constructs bound to serve it. It was during this incident that we stumbled upon a magical battle. As far as we know, aside from the two of us, the only non-magical humans who know of the existence of magic are Nanoha-chan's family. And now, you know too."

"…Wow. Everyone has their secrets, but that's…that's big."

"You actually believe us?"

"It would be a very cruel prank for you to tell such lies in such a solemn tone. Honestly, I _don't_ think I'd believe that magical girls are real unless I'd seen it with my own eyes. But I believe that the two of you are very concerned about your friends, and that they're somewhere very far away and that their safety isn't guaranteed. So if you say that this is because they're magical girls who have left the planet entirely—and yes, I know that you haven't actually come right out and said this, but the implication is there, what with it being 'kind of tough for them to keep in touch'—then I believe you."

"…Wait, wasn't Yuuno-kun in the baths with us the first time we came here?" Suzuka asked.

"Yeah, that was what I meant when I said that there were four of us, though we didn't know it at the time."

"You're awfully nonchalant about the fact that he saw us naked!"

"We were like eight years old. It's not like it was a big deal. I mean, yeah, I don't really like that we let a boy see us naked without even knowing it, but it's not really a huge issue."

"Okay, I'm confused again," Suki said.

"Yuuno-kun is the ferret who wasn't a ferret. I think he had a crush on Nanoha-chan as well, but she got over the hot springs incident quickly enough and kind of teased him about having seen her naked—though she said that her initial reaction was much like yours."

"Teased him?" Suzuka asked.

"Yeah, it was…now that I think about it, it was kind of a bitchy thing to do, unless she didn't realize that he had feelings for her. She had no qualms about stripping down in front of him."

"…Well, Nanoha's no Hayate, but she's never been terribly shy about her body, either."

"Don't I know it," Arisa agreed.

"You're drooling." Suzuka giggled.

"I thought you were over Nanoha-san," Suki said.

"I am. Doesn't mean I don't still think she's sexy."

"Nanoha-chan has an undeniable magnetism. She turns foes into admirers, even lovers."

"Haya-chan was never actually evil, though. The Wolkenritter, yes, sort of, but Hayate-chan knew nothing of what they were doing. Of course, her first 'befriending' preceded her acquisition of magical powers."

"'Befriending'?" Suki asked.

"Nanoha-chan is a very compelling debater…and is more than willing to use force to make sure her foes listen to her. Would you believe that I was somewhat of a bully when I started school?"

"My sweet Arisa-chan? A bully?"

"Well, you know me—the tough girl, kind of a tomboy. I…kind of picked on weaker girls when I was little." She pointedly sidled up close to Suzuka, holding her close to her body, hands placed over the other girl's breasts.

"It sounds like there's something you're leaving unsaid," Suki said. Arisa and Suzuka both just grinned, the former playfully nipping at the latter's ear. "Wait…Suzuka-chan?"

"Yep. That was how the three of us first met: Arisa was bullying me, and Nanoha came to my defense."

"Hey, you know what they say about little boys—they pick on the girls that they have a crush on."

"…You're not a boy."

"Well, the same is probably true of little tomboyish lesbians."

"…You're full of shit. You didn't have feelings for me then. You only fell in love with _Nanoha_ because she beat you up and you're attracted to strong women…and like you just said, I wasn't a strong woman at the time. Strong girl," she corrected.

"No…but you were pretty. And isn't that what most childhood 'crushes' are based on? Thinking someone is cute?"

"…Whatever. I still think you're trying to rewrite history, but I'll let it slide because the thought is so sweet."

"Like I said. I can't picture her as a bully." Suki moved in on Arisa's other side and groping. "…You still look lost in thought."

"Suzuka's right. This place really brings back memories. Coming back here with everyone, seeing Hayate-chan at her finest—by which I mean feeling up everyone in sight…"

"_Almost_ everyone," Suzuka corrected.

"Now who's rewriting history? Hayate felt _everyone_ up, claiming that it was completely innocent. It wouldn't have looked as innocent if she'd been more discriminating."

"…Right. Sorry, I guess I was so caught up in the times she _didn't_ treat me the same way she treated the rest of you that I forgot about the times she did."

"I really do wish that the three of them were still here. I hate seeing you two looking so sad," Suki said.

"I wonder…would things be different if she was still here? With what happened just before they left…would we be a couple?"

"Maybe. But I don't think you should obsess about these things. You have a wonderful girl right here," Arisa said.

"_Two_ wonderful girls," Suki corrected. "I'm here too."

"Right. Sorry about that, Suki-tan." _"I just…wanted to comfort Suzuka-chan. It felt so natural…but she's not my girlfriend. Suki is. My sweet, beautiful, beloved Suki… Why can't I just be happy with that? And yet, I'm getting mad at her for her feelings for Himiya-chan, when my heart isn't any more loyal than hers?"_

"It's okay. I know you want to be there for Suzuka-chan. Just remember who your girlfriend is."

"I know, I know…"

* * *

><p>"Huh? A missed call? I don't think I recognize this number…" Suzuka said, "but they left a voicemail." The girls had finished up in the hot springs and were retrieving their clothes. "…Well, I'll be damned."<p>

"Who was it?" Arisa asked.

"Takamachi Miyuki-san. We've got news on Nanoha-chan. And…there's a chance that they'll be able to visit soon."

"When is 'soon'?" Arisa asked.

"Nanoha-chan has apparently been approved to take her leave right now, but she wants to wait until all three of them can go together. It'll probably be in…a few months."

* * *

><p>CCX: Poor girls. After all, we already know how this turns out.<p> 


	23. Chapter 23

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 23

Disclaimer: This is starting to actually resemble a fanfic again, so there's even more of a need for a disclaimer.

*late October*

"So what is it you wanted my help with, Suki-tan?"

"I'm going to be holding a Christmas party. I don't really have much experience hosting something like this."

Arisa was surprised. "It's only October. Although…I was kind of considering hosting one myself this year. Bring together all of my loved ones… Or more likely, Suzu-chan would be hosting, since I really don't have any experience with this, either."

"Don't look at me; I'm the hostess for New Year's."

"My thoughts exactly," Suki said, in regards to Arisa's comments. "That's why I was planning to host one. Consider it a…preemptive strike."

"Preemptive strike?"

"I have to announce it early, because I expect Katsu-tan to try something and then I'd be without you."

"You could accomplish that just as well at my party. I'd be more than willing to allow you to bring Tatsu-kun as your date."

"…But then I'm without Katsu-tan."

"I was afraid that was what you'd say."

"Please, Ari-chan?"

"…Well, I wasn't referring to only two people either."

"I'm not inviting along your high school…friends. I don't really want to be confronted with the fact that I'm no longer your locker room shower toy."

"…That wasn't what I meant."

"…They're going to be coming back here?"

"There's… there hasn't been anything confirmed, but yeah…we expect to be together for Christmas for the eighth straight year. It's…a very special time for us."

"An eighth straight year? I thought you said that you hadn't even known Hayate-chan for seven years."

"That's right…_I_ met Hayate-chan about seven years ago now, and Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan had met the Wolkenritter—those were the artificial constructs guarding Hayate-chan and her artifact—but the first time we all met, and when Arisa and I first learned about magic, was a little less than seven years ago…it'll be seven years this Christmas Eve."

"A special time. But…wasn't it also Christmastime when they left?"

"…Yeah. It'll be one year this Christmas." Suzuka had a sad look on her face.

"Well, if they do show up, they're welcome to come to my party."

"Thanks, Suki-chan."

"Don't mention it. I certainly wouldn't mind meeting them—_really_ meeting them, not just vaguely knowing them as a sempai whom I recognize."

"_Knowing_ them?" Arisa teased.

"…I wouldn't go that far."

"Haya-chan might, if you showed enough interest."

"She's not _quite_ like that," Suzuka protested. "But yes, if you show even the slightest hint of being anything other than heterosexual you probably will get to second base with her."

"I'm fine with that as long as she's willing to allow reciprocation. If I remember correctly, Yagami-chan is fairly busty, isn't she? Like me."

"Well excuse us for being **flat**!" Arisa teased.

"Hey, I'm getting curvier every day," Suzuka retorted.

"I know," Arisa replied.

* * *

><p>*Early December*<p>

A whisper in Arisa's ear as someone covered her eyes. "Guess who."

"…Well, Suki-tan's with me, and Suzuka wouldn't engage in such silly antics…and Hayate-chan would probably put her hands over my breasts, small as they are, instead of my eyes…" She turned around and kissed the person who was covering her eyes. "Welcome home, Nanoha-chan. Didn't you say it would be closer to Christmastime, though?"

"…I was advised to take my leave now. They…don't want too many people on leave at once. I'm sorry…the five of us won't be together this Christmas. At best, you might get to see Hayate-chan, but I think she'll probably spend Christmas with us."

"…I'm just happy to see you, and to know that you're all safe."

"…I'm glad to see you too, Arisa-chan. You seem to be doing well." She turned to Suki. "Are you the young lady responsible for Arisa-chan getting so much better at kissing?"

"How would you know how good a kisser I was? You always had eyes only for Fate-chan."

"True. But you still managed to sneak a few kisses, usually around Christmastime under the mistletoe."

Arisa laughed. "Okay, I'll give you that."

"You know, it probably isn't too polite to be kissing other girls in front of your girlfriend," Suki said, "but I'll give you a pass this time. It's nice to finally meet you, Nano—Takamachi-san," she corrected. "Sorry, I feel like I already know you so well, with how much Ari-chan and Suzu-chan talk about you. I'm Makimaro Suki."

"Suzuka-chan… Should I tell Hayate-chan that she should come here for Christmas?"

"That's…a question you should ask her. I do get the feeling she's still got feelings for Hayate-chan…but then again, it might be even more painful to see her again, only to have her leave. Long-distance relationships are always the worst…"

Nanoha giggled. "I'll talk to her. You two have fun. It was nice meeting you, Makimaro-san." She started to walk off.

"You don't have to wait until you're out of sight. We eventually had to tell Suki-tan…she saw us worrying about the three of you too often to keep it from her anymore. Don't worry, she's the only one who knows…although there's another one who started probing, only to stop asking questions when she found out exactly _when_ we met Fate-chan and Hayate-chan."

"…It isn't exactly surprising that the 'official' explanations of the Jewel Seed incidents wouldn't satisfy everyone. If she stopped asking, though, it means that she was only in it for her own curiosity. I think it would be troublesome if it became common knowledge, but…this will be faster." She took flight.

"…Wow. So now I've seen it with my own eyes. Magic is real. That's…so cool."

* * *

><p>CCX: "Last Christmas" merely said that Hayate hadn't been there for the entire four years. Hell, I think Nanoha actually makes a <em>canonical<em> visit back to Earth during that time, in one of the StrikerS Sound Stages, so yeah, Nanoha and Fate are allowed to occasionally make appearances in person, albeit rarely.

* * *

><p>Nanoha set down outside of the Tsukimura estate, unwilling to just fly on in in case Suzuka had guests who were uninformed as to the magic situation. She didn't. "Hey, Suzuka-chan."<p>

"Nanoha-chan…I thought the three of you were all going to come in a couple of weeks."

"Sorry about that. For some reason, they didn't want us going on leave together. Fate-chan probably won't be on leave until after New Year's. Hayate-chan, though…she _could_ be here for Christmas, but she's not sure if she wants to be. After all, she has a pair of close friends who will be stuck on Mid-Childa for Christmas…but she also has a couple of close friends back on Earth. What would you suggest she do, Suzuka-chan?"

"…It doesn't matter to me. Of course I want to see Haya-chan again…and it would probably be better for the two of you, too, if you could just be with each other for Christmas. But I've made a lot of new friends in high school…and not all of them know that I'm a—bisexual."

"'Bisexual'? You're not a lesbian like the rest of us?"

"No, I don't believe I am. Although I definitely seem to prefer girls. Not like Suki-chan—she seems equally happy with either."

"Eh? Arisa-chan's girlfriend?"

"You know her?"

"I just met her. She was with Arisa-chan when I went to talk to her."

"Yeah, she has a boyfriend as well. He and Arisa have an agreement because they know neither one can satisfy all of her desires by themselves."

"That's…different. So what about you? Do you have a girlfriend? Boyfriend?"

"Nope. I'm still technically single, even though I so rarely am."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, early in the school year, I was dating quite a bit, but it was someone different every time. There was one boy who I wanted a second date with, but he seemed to think we didn't have any chemistry and that we'd be better as friends. And we are. Friends, I mean; not necessarily better as friends. He has a girlfriend now, though, so I'm probably out of luck there. So, lacking a steady boyfriend, I've mostly been making do with female friends with benefits."

"Is Ari-chan one of them? Are you keeping her company when her girlfriend is busy with her boyfriend?"

"Yes to the first, no to the second. Actually, my body betrayed me when I was _trying_ to just be innocently homoerotic—you know, the type of stuff that _actual_ straight girls do because it turns boys on—and Suki-chan figured out that I'm not straight."

"You got too flirty with Arisa-chan?"

"Suki-chan, actually. So now she's one of those friends with benefits as well."

"Damnit. If Haya-chan finds out about that she'll be pressuring us even harder to have a threesome with her."

"…That's our Hayate. Speaking of perverted lesbians, I'd like to introduce you to my other friend with benefits."

"Is she the one who was curious about us and then decided she'd learned enough once you mentioned when you met Fate-chan?"

"…How much about the past year has Arisa informed you of?"

"Pretty much just that. We didn't talk too much, but obviously the topic of other people learning about magic came up when I was going to leave and Arisa-chan told me that I didn't need to hide my ability to fly from Makimaro-san."

"Well, then, I guess it's time for small talk. Care to guess what my club activity at high school is?"

"You mean it's not Library Club?"

"Nope. Student Council. I'm class rep."

"Is this friend of yours a member of your class?"

Suzuka nodded. "As is the male friend whom I kind of wish was more than just a friend."

"Well, good for you. I think you're perfect for that job."

"Not as good as you would be, I'm sure."

"Haha…my approach to negotiations wouldn't really work in a normal school setting."

"Miki-chan seems to make it work. Although I suppose it helps that she isn't an insanely overpowered magical girl."

"Oh? Another friend?"

"Yeah. The Class 1-O rep—I'm class 1-A. Her personality is a bit like yours—also a tad like Arisa's, but more like yours."

"I…hope that was a compliment."

"It is. Miki-chan's a sweet girl deep down, though she hides it well."

"That doesn't sound like a compliment."

"Well, underneath her obvious issues, she has deep-seated issues that most people don't even know exist and those few who do don't know the full extent of."

"But you do?"

"Nope. I know that her father is fiercely overprotective of both her and her sister, and that he never remarried after his wife's death some nine years ago. I know that the subject of her mother is so touchy that she doesn't talk about it to _anyone_, and that there's something that she's even keeping from her younger sister—I found this out because I nearly made the mistake of bringing up her mother before I knew that she was dead. And when I asked her boyfriend what he knew about this, he said that when he first met her, shortly before her mother's death, she didn't seem like a girl whose mother was dying, so it probably wasn't illness that claimed her life."

"And how many people know about this?"

"Probably not many. Anyone who had been in school with her all the way back to the start of primary school, like Izei-kun—that's her boyfriend, and the Class 1-N rep—would at least know about her depression right after it happened—Izei-kun said that she was 'more like a girl-shaped shell than a person'. But…let's put it this way: you now know more than any of my 'friends with benefits' do, and Kanna-chan went to junior high with her."

"I suppose it's okay for me to learn this, since I'm not even really a resident of this planet anymore?" Nanoha teased.

"I don't think of you like that, Nanoha-chan."

"I know, I know, but…it's the truth. I'm only here on a visit. This is my old home…but it's not my home anymore."

"…I'll call Kanna-chan and ask her to come over." Suzuka got out her phone. "Kanna-chan? Come on over to my place. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

* * *

><p>"So, I finally get to meet the legendary Takamachi Nanoha. Shinamori Kanna," she introduced herself.<p>

"L-legendary?"

"Kanna-chan!"

"Sorry, sorry. It's just that Suzu-chan talks about you so much…though not as much as she talks about Yagami-chan."

"_You haven't even met her and you already feel you can use the '-chan' honorific?"_ Nanoha thought. "So, how did you know which one I was?"

"Family resemblance. Suzu-chan treated me to some sweets at the Midoriya for my birthday, so I've already met your parents."

"Ah…of course. So, why are you someone Suzuka-chan wanted to introduce to me?"

"Well, she's told me on more than one occasion that I'm the _second_-most perverted lesbian she's ever met, behind Yagami-chan."

"Well, you haven't groped me yet, so you're obviously not as bad as Hayate-chan."

"Would you like me to?" She didn't bother waiting for an answer before doing so.

Nanoha sweatdropped. "Okay, fine, you want to prove your credentials. Are you at least enjoying yourself?"

"Yep. These are pretty nice."

"Fate-chan and Hayate-chan are both bigger than me," Nanoha said, "and it looks like Suzuka-chan will have caught up to me before long."

"Nanoha-chan!" Suzuka blushed. "You have no right to be envious of others' boobs!"

"Yes I do. I live with Fate-chan and Hayate-chan. But I'm not envious, of course…because I get to be with those breasts every night."

"E-every night?"

"Aah! Not like that! We don't do _that_ every night! But even when we're not making love, I still get to share a bed with my beautiful Fate-chan."

"That's what I've always admired about you, Nanoha-chan. Once you set your mind to something, you refuse to quit until you get it. When you first met Fate-chan, she saw you as a rival…and you fell in love with her. And now, she loves you back."

"Well, it worked out well then…but some would call that 'stubbornness'."

"Determination," Suzuka insisted.

"Well, let's see if I can't use that determination to bring one of my oldest friends a perfect Christmas gift."

* * *

><p>*December 24th*<p>

"Thanks for coming over beforehand to help out," Suki said.

"Like I said, it's no trouble. I just hope there aren't too many other early arrivals who would question me being here so early."

"Well, if you're so concerned, hide."

"That would be even worse, unless we staged a fake entrance."

"…Then just stop worrying about it." Suki gave Arisa a kiss. "Everything will be just fine."

"Yeah, by the time anyone who doesn't already _know_ about your relationship shows up, there will be enough people here that it won't seem suspicious."

"Farisu-chan…? Wait, don't tell me: you're still having trouble getting times right, aren't you?"

"I've started writing down events a half an hour ahead of when they actually occur. Only problem is, I forget that I've done that, and so I end up actually showing up early."

Arisa shrugged. "Well, better early than late, I guess. You're not a first-year anymore, so Martin-sensei will be even _madder_ if you're late to practices this year."

"Yeah, I know…"

* * *

><p>"I should've expected to run into you here, Bannings-chan. You're looking lovely tonight," Atsuya Watagami told her.<p>

"You know, I don't think I've ever been hit on by a gay guy before," Arisa cracked. "But surely you don't already have your license."

"Does it _look_ like I got out of the driver's side of the car? This place was just closer; Oniisan is dropping me off at my party next."

"You have an older brother too?"

"I'm actually the second of four."

Arisa merely nodded, watching Hanna as she got out of the car. "Interesting…I would've figured it would've been _Hayama-sempai_ who was the first guest here," Hanna said.

"Are you actively trying to be untrustworthy, or does it just come naturally to you?" Arisa asked.

"It takes one to know one. I'm sure that if you wanted to just be with Tsukimura-san, Katsu-tan could work out the same agreement with Hayama-sempai that you did."

Arisa took note of Hanna's choice of honorifics. "Nice try, Watagami-chan, but Suki-tan already knows all about Suzuka."

"I'm surprised you admitted to it that easily; it's not like I had any real proof. Now, just what about Tsukimura-san does Sempai know?"

"Like I'd tell you."

"Oh, _I'm_ not the one you need to tell."

"Is this true? Were you not the only one I was sharing Suki-chan with?" Tatsuke asked, having just arrived.

"…The nerve of that bitch!" Arisa was ready to throttle Hanna. Suki held her back.

"…Yes, it's true. I've had some threesomes with Ari-chan and Suzu-chan. But don't get mad at them—_I_ was the one who proposed the initial threesome. Well, I guess if you want to get mad at Arisa for being less than completely faithful to me, you could do that, but I wouldn't want you to because like I said, _I_ didn't get mad…I talked them into having a threesome, remove any sense of competition."

"And it's clear that Suki-chan is the one that Arisa truly loves," Suzuka added. (CCX: She had been there all along, having come over with Arisa. She just didn't have any lines.)

"…_Clear to everyone except _me,_"_ Arisa thought.

* * *

><p>Half an hour past the start of the party, the Himiya sisters had yet to arrive. "Where is she?" Suki asked.<p>

"Patience, sempai," Mayu said. "She said something about being 'fashionably late'."

"As well as wanting to look perfect," added another member of their crew, Otsuka Yuriko. "Wonder why."

"T-to impress S-sempai, of course," Reina said. (CCX: I had to look back at Reina's first appearance to determine just how bad her stutter was. I think even after cutting down the number of stutters in that line, I may have overdone it; as flustered as she was, her first line contained no stuttering at all.)

"Oh? So Katsura-chan is a 'yuri-ko' too now?" Yuriko teased.

"Yuri-chan, that's quite inappropriate," Suki scolded her. _"I assure you I have yet to gild her lilies."_

Suki was soon snapped out of her thoughts, however, by a particularly energetic 11-year-old. "Oneesama!"

Suki was nearly thrown backwards by the flying hug she received from Natsume. "Hey there, little Natsu-tan. I was worried you wouldn't show."

"I was worried I wouldn't show, too. Neesan took _forever_ getting ready."

"Oh really…" Suki instinctively turned to the door, waiting for Katsura to enter.

She was rendered speechless. As befitting the holiday season, Katsura was dressed in red, but unbefitting the winter season, her dress was slit up the side all the way to her hip. Her modest chest had been pushed up, and her dark hair was gathered on top of her head. She looked positively…sultry, though it seemed odd to think of her as such given that her skin was as pale as ever. "Oneesama…"

Suki struggled to put together words, before finally managing to find some that sounded suitably charming. "You look like you must be cold in that dress. Perhaps I could warm you up?"

Suki was pleasantly amazed to find that the only one blushing was her, and set out to get Katsura's blood flowing to the surface again.

* * *

><p>CCX: Nanoha made an appearance! :D An honest-to-god appearance. And I made two chapters in the same day! That "full speed ahead" I'd said I hoped for at the beginning of the month seems to have finally arrived. Chapter 24 looks to be a climax (um, maybe that's a bad choice of words?), what with Katsura about to get her first lemony scene and Suzuka being forced to deal with Hayate's failure to show up. How long will the story extend after that? I don't know. But know this: I expect New Year's to be Chapter <em>26<em>, not Chapter 25. This is CCX, signing off to complete another successful July.


	24. Chapter 24

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: So many shout outs…

Chapter 24

"What? But I thought you liked my pale skin?"

"It clashes with that dress. I want a body as red as a ground cherry." Seeing Katsura's panicked look, she quickly added, "It's just a saying. I won't be grinding your cherry just yet."

"Well, if you think my dress clashes with my skin, I could always just…" she brushed one of the straps off of her shoulder, "_lose it._"

"Look at _you_ being all sexy! No, leave them on," she said, as Katsura started to remove her shoes, "those you can leave on. You're turning me on."

"But—"

"I'll carry you upstairs," Suki said, and before Katsura knew it, she was being carried upstairs bridal-style.

"…_How am I supposed to explain _that_ to imouto-chan?"_

* * *

><p>"Have you seen Suki-tan?" Arisa asked.<p>

"No, not recently. Not since…before Himiya-san arrived," Suzuka replied, realizing what was happening and knowing that Arisa wouldn't like this response. "Haya-chan's still not here…we left directions on how to get here."

"You think something happened to her?"

"To one of them, anyway. If Nanoha-chan or Fate-chan got hurt, she'd probably stay there, too…I don't want to think about that, though."

"Arisa-san, have you seen Suki-tan?"

"Nope. Suzu-chan says she hasn't seen her either. Not since…not since Himiya-san arrived."

"You think…" Arisa nodded. "Damn…"

* * *

><p>The dress fell from Katsura's slender form, her slight breasts coming free from the underwire. Suki kissed each nipple just once before moving onto other parts, laying kisses across her back as her hands caressed the girl's pale thighs. "On-n-neesama…"<p>

"Sh. Don't worry about it. Just enjoy it."

"I can't…I want to convey my feelings to you. Through you…"

"It's okay. I can feel it… Just your reactions will suffice." Her fingers crept upward, under the line of the panties, just as red as the dress that now lay on Suki's bedroom floor. Reaching the end of her leg and going no further (CCX: I know that there is a word for this, but it's decidedly unsexy and would be out of place in this chapter), always just teasing at the sensitive areas. Finally, as she started nipping at Katsura's neck, the younger girl broke down and turned flushed. "That's my Katsu-tan…" Then no more words as Suki's lips enveloped her lover's.

* * *

><p>"Hi, Ari-neesama!" Natsume said brightly.<p>

"You're…as energetic as ever, Natsume-chan," Arisa said. "Where's Suki-tan?"

"Ah…I'm not sure what Oneesama and Neesan are doing, but based on the way Oneesama carried Neesan upstairs I get the feeling that they wanted to be alone."

"…Carried?" Tatsuke asked.

"Yeah, just like a bride. Of course, it could've been for practical purposes, because Oneesama didn't even let Neesan take her shoes off."

"…So what do we do?"

"What _can_ we do?" Arisa replied. "Somehow I doubt they _meant_ to show Natsu-tan their relationship, but we can't go barging in now, not with that innocent little thing watching."

"I wouldn't put it past them," Tatsuke replied.

"This isn't Watagami-chan we're dealing with here. Suki-tan definitely isn't cruel enough to use Natsume-chan for such devious purposes, and I don't think Himiya-san is either." Tatsuke pointed out the odd difference in how Arisa referred to the two sisters. "You understand, right? Natsume-chan…has a certain endearing quality to her. It's hard not to like her. Her sister…well, I don't really know her that well, which seems to be by design. She's always been hostile to me, but that's only natural because I'm a rival to her."

"She's not hostile to me, though," Tatsuke said.

"For the same reasons I'm not hostile to you, I'd imagine," Arisa explained. "Suki needs both a male and a female lover. You're the only one filling the former role, but Himiya-san and I are competing for the latter."

"Except you're not competing alone," Tatsuke reminded her, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"Neither is she," Arisa replied. "She's got the bitch queen working behind the scenes to manipulate things in her favor."

"Wow. Harsh words."

"You don't agree?"

"I didn't say that. Hanna-chan is indeed proving to be quite a masterful manipulator."

"…So what's your stake in this? Like I said, regardless of what happens between me and Himiya-san, your position isn't threatened."

"…Tell that to Hanna-chan."

"I see. Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks."

"Y-you're not alone."

"Huh?"

"W-we're united by a common interest—Sempai—but we're n-not…we don't all get along," Reina said.

Arisa remembered that the first time she'd met the girl, she mentioned that Hanna had said she wasn't cut out for the task she was performing. Now, this appeared to have been the _truth_, so Arisa hadn't thought much of it, but now she had a hunch. "It's not just my imagination, then? Watagami-chan really is kind of a bitch?"

"N-not exactly…usually she's the level-headed one, keeping Himiya-san in line. B-but I guess…I guess Hanna-chan can come off as a bit cold and analytical. Himiya-san…she's the…emotional one."

Arisa was a bit stunned. Even though Katsura had been nothing but hostile to her, she'd never gotten the impression that she was the queen bee type. Yet even though what she'd just been told only bolstered the impression that it was tough to separate the two girls, Reina had referred to Hanna by her given name and a -chan honorific, but used -san and the family name to refer to Katsura.

"That's an awfully negative way of looking at it," Mayu said. Damnit, whatever happened to private conversations? "I prefer to think that Hanna-chan is good at keeping her cool under pressure."

"Aoba-san…I-I didn't mean that _I_ saw it that way, I just said that it could come off that way. Hanna-chan's… actually really nice…"

Mayu smiled. "And smart, too."

"Sounds like you're a big fan of hers," Arisa suggested.

"I guess you could say that. If she was a boy I totally would go out with her. _Don't_ say a word, because I'm already quite certain as to my sexuality and have been for quite some time."

"I wasn't going to say anything. I was certain of mine at an early age, too." Arisa grinned. "Nothing wrong with a little curiosity—I'm certainly grateful for it—but if you know, you know."

* * *

><p>CCX: Okay, so it's tough to <em>actually<em> be sure at an early age, because even if you have those types of desires, you won't recognize them for what they are until you get older, at which point you'll retroactively realize that you've been sexually attracted to the opposite sex—or in Arisa's case, the _same_ sex—since before you knew what sex _was_. …Again, speaking from experience. Given my admitted lack of masculinity, the fact that I was already a casanova wannabe in _preschool_ is one of the few things that allows me to remain confident in my heterosexuality.

* * *

><p>"Glad you understand, Bannings-san. You don't seem like a bad person…but I can't help you. Doing so would mean opposing Hanna-chan."<p>

"…Huh."

"What is it?"

"I didn't realize that Watagami-chan had such a magnetism to her."

"Well, she certainly seems repellant enough to you," Mayu said.

Arisa smiled. "You seem bright enough in your own right."

"I manage well enough. I can't measure up to Hanna-chan, though. She's one of the top students in our class."

"Is that so." It wasn't really a question.

* * *

><p>"Oneesama…" The two girls laid upon Suki's bed, tightly embraced. Katsura had finally convinced Suki to let her remove her shoes (CCX:…and I'm just now realizing that I failed to explicitly <em>state<em> that she was wearing high heels. I'm sure the implication was there, but I could've sworn I'd said it when describing her outfit last chapter…of course, they're red too), and the two were clad only in their undergarments. "Uh, can I…"

"Yes?"

"It's just, I wasn't actually, you know…"

"…Yes, Katsu-tan," Suki said, guiding Katsura's hands to the clasp of her bra, "it's only fair. Seeing as how I've…stimulated you so much." Her hands wandered back to Katsura's chest.

Katsura nervously undid the undergarment and removed it, and instantly flushed at the sight of Suki's full, round breasts. "Wow…they're so wonderful…I wish my breasts were like yours."

"You're still growing."

"So are you," Katsura pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess. I've already done quite a bit of that, though. You…still have a lot of room to grow." She rubbed the small breasts appreciatively. She wanted to go further, but this wasn't the time. Now was the time to give Katsura the freedom to run the show. This was about Katsura exploring her desires, seeing if she really was attracted to females. What ensued was…clumsy, but that was to be expected from someone so inexperienced. The desire was there—like Suki said, actions spoke louder than words, and emotions even louder than actions. Suki could feel the intent, and the love, and though it was definitely a step backwards from the way she was able to make love with Tatsuke or the two high schoolers, she enjoyed it nevertheless. "I…love you, Katsu-tan."

"Huh?" It wasn't the showstopper. "Yeah, I know…I love you too, Suki-san."

Somehow, the change in address just made Suki _melt_.

* * *

><p>"Hey. Something wrong? Nobody should be looking so sad at Christmastime," Suzuka said.<p>

"What's it to you? And you're one to talk."

"…True. I seem to be solving other people's problems quite a bit lately, so I thought maybe doing so would help me get my mind off of my own. Forget it; I was wrong to bring it up."

"…No, you've got a point. Maybe we can help each other out. I'm…I guess I'm kind of lonely. I should be happy, because the person I care about the most is happy, but…it probably means I won't get to spend as much time with her."

"Love triangles. Always a killer. My problems involve a…loved one, too. She's not around anymore; she's gone off to a faraway place, but she said she'd be able to come visit to spend Christmas with me. But…she's not here."

"I think you're misunderstanding me. I'm not…I'm not in love with her. Not like that."

"I never said you were. But you do love her, right? 'The person you care about the most'?"

"Well, yeah, of course. She and I have always been inseparable. We squabble sometimes, but…I've always got her back."

"And is it the same for her? Will she always be there to back you up?"

"I don't know. I've never needed backing up. She can be…a bit hard to deal with at times, so usually I'm the one who's smoothing things over. But…yes. Now that I think about it, there was a time…when she was afraid that her new love interest was getting in the way of our friendship. At that time, it seemed as though she had decided which was more important to her, and it was… me…"

Suzuka smiled. "Glad to hear it."

Hanna smiled back. "I just wish I could help you out with your problem. Any idea why your…loved one, didn't show up?"

"No, and so it's only natural to assume the worst."

"You have to be more optimistic than that." She sighed. "Except I totally see the logic in what you're doing. Without any word from her…there's no way to know. And you want to think that it's nothing, but… there's that uncertainty."

"Hm."

"Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, uh…"

"…Oh, right, I don't even know your name. I'm Tsukimura Suzuka."

"Watagami Hanna."

"…I see."

"What's with that response? Oh…you're friends with Bannings-san, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"She's probably said some nasty things about me. I don't blame her. After all, I am trying to help Katsura to steal away her girlfriend."

"Yeah… But, I understand your feelings. Arisa means as much to me as Himiya-san does to you." _"And more,"_ she thought, since Hanna didn't seem to actually want Katsura for herself.

"Are you sure? You don't know just how much Katsu-chan means to me."

"…Yeah, I'm sure."

"Suzuka…" Arisa trailed off when she saw Hanna.

"Hello, Arisa. Watagami-san and I were just talking out our problems."

"Uh…"

"Problems?" Mayu asked.

"It's nothing," Hanna insisted.

"No, I'm curious," Arisa said. "What 'problems' could you be having?"

"You should already know," Suzuka replied.

"You having regrets?"

"No!" Hanna said defensively. "But…I'm still…I still love her…"

"What was that?"

"I said I still love Katsura," she repeated, a bit louder, instincts guiding her tongue. "Uh, I mean…"

She stopped as she felt a hand on her shoulder; turned to follow the arm to the pale face of the girl whose best friend had just said the words that her lover could not—that _she_ couldn't say, either. Not yet. It was too soon. But between these two…

* * *

><p>CCX: So much more I want to say, but this seems like a spot where a chapter should end. Originally I had an expository author's note right after Suzuka's "Yeah, I'm sure", but then I decided that I didn't want to do that so I had Arisa arrive instead, and we were going to exposit in-story. That…sort of derailed. So, I'd better get Chapter 25 out quickly. CCX, signing off.<p> 


	25. Chapter 25

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: Some characters aren't mine.

Chapter 25

"So I take it that was Himiya-san?"

"Yeah, that's Katsu-tan. Isn't she adorable?" Suki asked.

"Wait, I thought…are you saying you never actually met her?" Arisa was confused. "Earlier, you said…"

"Yeah, that's right," Suzuka replied, "I never actually met her, or any other members of Suki-chan's fanclub, for that matter, until tonight."

"But earlier when I asked you if you'd seen Suki-tan…"

"Like I said, I'd never met any of them before, but I've been meeting some tonight, among them an energetic fifth-year grade-schooler."

"Of course. Natsu-chan's easy to like. Her sister…"

"Can you _try_ to be civil?!" Suki interrupted.

"She doesn't make it easy," Arisa said. "Besides, isn't this little episode probably over now that I've evened the score with Watagami-chan?"

"…Evened the score?" Suki asked.

"Yeah. For getting people to say things in front of people they didn't want to find out," Tatsuke said. "Or had you forgotten that I know about your threesomes?"

"…Oh, right. I guess that was kind of the same thing."

"Turnabout is fair play, right?"

"…I don't think this is over, though, because I _do_ love Katsu-tan."

"The way you love me?" The two words didn't match up.

"…Yes. The way I love you." This time they did. Arisa frowned. (CCX: Which she shouldn't based on the way that sentence is constructed because the only one she's actually said it about there is Arisa.)

"So why are you here with us?"

"Because it's what Katsu-tan needs right now. She and Hanna-chan need to sort this out." They walked outside, only to find a surprising face waiting for them.

"Zafira-san? Where's Hayate-chan?"

"Something big came up. Hayate-sama sends her regrets that she couldn't be here in person."

"Why were you waiting around out here? You know that if anyone saw you, it would be considered suspicious."

"I didn't have an invitation." Zafira was trying to say as little as possible, as not everyone around was in the loop.

"…Okay."

"I should go."

"Okay. See you." He merely nodded and left.

"Who was that?" Suki asked.

"A member of the Wolkenritter," Arisa said, an explanation that would give Suki the answers she needed without revealing anything to Tatsuke.

* * *

><p>*December 28th*<p>

"Good morning, birthday girl!" Suki said, greeting Katsura with a kiss that she quickly moved to the cheek when she saw Natsume approaching. Katsura was a little disappointed, but understood.

"Morning, Sempai," came a voice from another room.

Suki acknowledged the girl on the couch. "Hanna-chan. So, is it just going to be the three of us today?"

"You mean I'm not invited?" Natsume said disappointedly.

"Sorry, imouto," Katsura said, "but this is my special day. Yeah, just the three of us. Most of my 'friends' are just people who put up with me because I'm Hanna's best friend."

"Katsura-chan!"

"You know it's true, Hanna-chan. It's not a hard-and-fast rule, but…I guess I just rub people the wrong way. Especially other girls."

"Eh?" Suki was confused.

Katsura laughed. "I know, right? Normally when you think of a girl as being 'one of the boys', it's because she's this big tomboy—kind of like your girlfriend. I'm not like that at all. I just…for some reason, most of my friends are boys. It's just sort of the way it is."

"I never would've guessed."

"Yeah, you'd think more of them would've shown up. You're certainly pretty enough to get their hormones going. I guess your beauty was just too much; some of them _have_ talked to me about how cool it is that I'm friends with an upperclassman as amazing as you."

A silence. "What, no cynical remark?" Suki asked.

"Who, me?" Hanna replied. "No, I wasn't planning one. Why, do you think I should?"

"A girl as beautiful as Katsu-tan is popular with the boys? I'd be cynical."

Hanna smiled. "Then perhaps you need to relax."

* * *

><p>First up on the agenda was a trip to the movies—a romantic comedy. Next was lunch. Hanna and Suki both wanted to pay, and ended up splitting the bill. From there, it was off to the mall for a day of shopping. Again, Hanna and Suki insisted that Katsura shouldn't have to pay for anything because it was her birthday, but she managed to convince them to let her at least pay for some of her merchandise.<p>

"So what do you think?"

"It looks perfect for you. Why don't you try it on?" Suki asked.

"You're not going to come in here with me?" Katsura teased.

"Wouldn't be appropriate," Suki said. Katsura mock-frowned and took the skirt into the dressing room. "What are you chuckling at?" Suki asked Hanna.

"She only brought that one item in there."

"So? What's your point?"

"She's going to be 'showing off' for you either way. …Just what _did_ you do to her at that party?"

"I-I didn't do anything! I let her set the tempo, because I was afraid that I'd go too far otherwise!"

"That's not what I meant. Katsu-chan's always been a bit conscious of her body—she's always one of the first ones to finish changing for gym class because she doesn't really like being seen undressed. Now, obviously we haven't had class since then so I don't know if that's changed, but if she's actually going to come out of that room showing off that skirt, then…that's different."

"I see. Why is that?"

"Why is what?"

"You said she's _always_ been self-conscious. This obviously isn't a puberty thing, then."

"…I suppose that you wouldn't really notice, since your skin's a bit lighter than most of ours too. But that pale complexion of hers…she never really liked it."

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. It's not…"

"…natural."

"I wasn't going to say it."

"I always said that she looked like a little porcelain doll. I guess I never thought about the fact that people aren't supposed to look like that."

"So how do I look?" Katsura came out of the dressing room, twirling around.

"It looks good. Perhaps we should see if we can find a good top to go with it."

"…Are you saying you don't like what you see?"

"Of course not. But…this is a public place. Are you really okay with being seen like that?"

Katsura didn't respond, turning after a moment to return to the dressing room, removing the skirt she'd tried on and replacing it with her dress, even whiter than her skin—though at the moment, she was a bit flushed anyway. It didn't take long, which was in line with what Hanna had said about her ability to change quickly. "I-I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to apologize. Hanna-chan was just saying that you aren't normally this comfortable with your body." Only now was it dawning on Suki that Katsura often wore tights even with the summer uniform, and outside of school, her clothes would be loose-fitting, but covered most of her body. It had seemed more of a matter of practicality, as skin as pale as Katsura's would sunburn easily, but…it was always _just_ those. No layering so that she could be more comfortable indoors. Had that changed? Perhaps gradually over the course of autumn. Was it related to what happened at Tanabata?

* * *

><p>CCX: As I'm looking back through previous chapters, something's bothering me. In chapter 20, Suki says "I love you" to Katsura, and although it isn't explicitly stated that it's <em>aishiteru<em>, the implication seems to be there, which would conflict with what happened last chapter. Perhaps we could chalk up that pause to Suki having to stop herself and change gears, since, after all, she said that she loved Katsura _immediately_ after saying that she loved Arisa, whom she already has a serious relationship with.

* * *

><p>"I'm…getting better about it," Katsura replied.<p>

"Is it because I told you that I think your pale skin is pretty?" Suki asked. Katsura nodded. Suki wasn't sure how to continue, so she decided to just ask the questions she already knew the answers to. "Why didn't you like it?"

"It's…weird. Different. Even lighter than most gaijin."

"I…guess I can sort of relate. Both of my parents are ¾-Japanese and ¼-American, but somehow all of the recessive traits lined up for me and so I look American even though I'm ¾-Japanese. On my own, people just assume I'm a foreigner, but when I'm with my family, it's more like 'she's obviously adopted'. Which I'm not. It's…a bit unsettling." (CCX: When I first made the "with my family" remark back in Chapter 8, I think I'd sort of planned for Suki to have siblings, but now, especially after having sent the action over to her house, she definitely seems to be an only child. A rarity in this story, I know…)

"Um…so what do you think of this one?" Katsura was eager to change the subject.

"That'll be wonderful. Consider this one my treat." She found some other things to try on, and they left the store with their new purchases.

This was not to say that the "you're a teenager now; let's get you a teenager's wardrobe" trip was over. "What do you think?"

"I like the style, but…is it really your color?" Suki asked, as Katsura tried on the pair of black calf-length boots she'd picked out.

"It would probably look better with my new outfit," Katsura conceded.

"Even then…"

"It's hard to take me seriously in such a childish outfit, right?"

"I _told_ you that patterned tights aren't for junior high students," Hanna said.

"Hold on…" She returned a few minutes later, a pair of brown over-the-knee socks over the tights. "Better?"

"Where did you…"

"Once you've paid for your purchase, there's really nothing preventing you from putting it on right away, though in most cases there's the little matter of whatever you were wearing into the store." She held up a bag, inside of which was a recently opened package, labeled as a three-pack and only containing two pairs of socks, one crème-colored and one navy blue. "Once we're done here, I think it's time for me to change completely. Are the bathrooms still too public a place for your tastes, Suki-nee?"

"Uh…" Suki looked over at Hanna, who looked back as if to say, _"Why are you looking at _me_ for approval?" _"I suppose not…but I wasn't really planning on any…well, any of _that_."

"Good. So, which do you like better?"

"The calf boots. Knee-high boots don't really suit your figure. But…I still don't think black is your color. Perhaps you should try it in brown instead?"

"…We'd have to come back another time. They don't have the brown ones in my size."

"What about these?" Hanna brought over another pair, this one only ankle-high. "I think you'd look good in them. My gift if you like them."

Katsura sweatdropped. "You girls do remember that you both got me birthday gifts before this shopping trip started, right?" Hanna replied in the affirmative. Suki was elsewhere. Katsura didn't bother wondering where, as Hanna was waiting to see how she looked in the pair of boots she'd picked out. "Yeah, they're great. Thanks, Hanna-chan."

"Then these are on me," Suki said, returning with another shoebox.

"Suki-san?" Katsura was still struggling to figure out how to address Suki.

"Happened to see someone restocking shelves. Asked if they had the brown ones in your size. Looks like we won't have to come back another time, after all."

"That's wonderful."

* * *

><p>"So what was with the 'sweet lolita' look, anyway?" Suki asked, pulling the dress off of Katsura.<p>

She removed the matching white tights. "It 'fit', don't you think? The whole 'doll' look?"

"…I'm sorry about that."

"What? Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know. I'm definitely glad that you feel better about the way you look thanks to my comments, but…I don't necessarily want to _change_ you."

"What's wrong with changing a little?"

"…Nothing, I guess."

"…I think this blouse is a bit too summery on its own, even though it's long-sleeved. And I didn't buy anything suitable to wear underneath it."

"Then wear a different outfit."

"Aw…I wanted to wear the first one we picked out. The skirt and the boots were both your treat. And besides…most of my purchases were fairly dark-colored," she said, removing the top to reveal her very white bra.

"Well then, you should be glad you're not as busty as I am," Suki smiled, removing the undergarment and dropping it into the bag of clothes. "You can actually get away with this."

"Can I?"

"Yes. Well, not if you get all excited about it."

"How can I not get excited when I'm being undressed by the girl I'm in love with?"

"Try not to focus on what's in front of you, but on what's behind you."

"…That is a very good point. It's kind of hard to get aroused with your back pressed against a public toilet. I think I'm going to need a long shower when I get home."

"Hmm…you know, I think I know where we should head next."

"By 'next', I assume you mean 'as soon as we buy Katsura some nice new intimates to go with her nice new clothes', right?"

"I…didn't, but if that's what you want, then yes, okay."

"I'm…not exactly done growing yet, but, well…I don't really have much in the way of lingerie."

"You just turned 13. I'd be more worried if you _did_. Although those panties you had under your dress at my Christmas party were pretty sexy…"

"Yeah, but all of the support for that was in the dress, remember? No bra?"

"I see."

"Yeah."

"So, which outfit are you going to wear?"

"Well, that turtleneck looks pretty nice—though like I said, I'm a little nervous about wearing it with no bra. And the brown skirt goes well with it. You didn't finish undressing me," she said, pulling off the brown knee-highs, "I'd rather wear the blue ones, to go with the top. And the boots that Hanna-chan picked out." Katsura was already putting these items on as she named them, leaving Suki with little to do other than admire her.

"I like it. But you were worried that the other blouse wouldn't keep you warm, and now…" She put one arm around Katsura to brace her as she lifted the girl's leg up in the air and planted a love bite on the exposed thigh.

Katsura blushed. "I don't think I'll have much trouble staying warm with you around, Oneesama."

* * *

><p>"…So you've decided you still haven't seen enough of me?" Katsura teased as they arrived at the onsen.<p>

"Yeah, I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with this," Hanna said. Suki, however, was already paying. Katsura rushed forward, all too eager. Hanna sighed and joined the other two. "What gave you this idea?"

"Katsu-tan did, actually. It's the perfect place for a bit of bonding, not to mention a nice treat with the winter weather setting in."

"And I get to clean myself up."

"Just what did you two do in there?" Hanna asked. "No, wait, I don't want to know."

"No, that's…you're misunderstanding. There wasn't any of that going on. It's just…well, public restrooms and all that…"

"…Whatever. I'll leave you two alone."

"Aw, Hanna-chan…" Katsura said.

"Nah. You probably wouldn't be interested in what I want to do while you two are having your fun together. Well, okay, sempai might be, but she probably shouldn't."

"Hanna! Aren't you supposed to be the reasonable one?"

"What? What's she planning?"

"She's going to try to peek at the male side of the onsen. You do realize there probably won't be anyone else close to our age, right?"

"That's fine. Guys around my brothers' ages are hotter anyway."

"…There probably won't be too many of those, either." (CCX: The oldest Watagami is a first-year university student, so he's two years older than Atsuya and therefore six years older than Hanna.)

Suki intervened, "Let her peek. Worst that can happen is that she finds someone on the other side trying to look in on us."

"When you put it that way…might as well give them what they want," Katsura replied.

"Who's 'they'?"

"The peeping toms."

"Eh?"

"Let's just say I'm not the only one with some body insecurities. Although Hanna's a bit more inconsistent; she's happy enough, but she still tends to hide them for some reason."

"Hide…" Suki noticed Hanna getting undressed. "Geez, Hanna-chan!"

"Wha…hey, hands off!"

"Just how tightly did you have these wrapped? That's not good. You should let them breathe."

"Keep your hands to yourself!"

"Would you prefer it if _I_ massaged them?" Katsura asked, trying to mediate between the two.

"I, uh, I…that won't be necessary…"

"Doesn't it hurt, though? I wouldn't know, because mine are still small, but…"

"…A bit. But I don't know what you're going on about. Mine are much smaller than Sempai's."

"You think?" Katsura grabbed them. "Yeah, I guess they are. They just look bigger because you're otherwise more or less the same size as me. But why bind them?"

"Well, like you said, they don't really suit me at my current height. Uh…sorry for getting mad at you, Sempai. Was it like this for you, too? Were your breasts the first thing to start growing?"

"…Everything just sort of happened at the same time."

"…There are some physical attributes of yours that I envy. Yes, maybe even your breasts, a little bit, but mostly I'd just like to be taller, so my body would look right again."

"…I get it. But you don't have to wrap them _quite_ that much. I'll help you if you want."

"…Thanks."

"So now that we're all friends again…shall we engage in our onsen peeking together?" Katsura suggested, surprising both of the other girls. "What? I knew what you were up to right away because we'd done it together before," she reminded Hanna.

"R-right…that was fun…"

"I didn't realize you two were so perverted at such a young age."

"I've been told that I have a very innocent 'look' about me," Katsura replied, "and Hanna's an honor student so people don't expect her to be a secret pervert."

"I blame my older brothers. They were a bad influence." Hanna could barely keep a straight face as she said this, though, and the two soon burst out laughing.

"Okay, okay. But first, I believe there's a back that needs scrubbing."

* * *

><p>CCX: And again, the chapter ends somewhat abruptly. CCX, signing…oh, do I have other things to address? Ah, yes, the curious decision to have the immediate results of Hanna's confession entirely off-screen, only to show the trio a few days later. It just didn't feel right to have that scene. I think showing the three of them afterwards does a better job of conveying what happened than a scene between just Katsura and Hanna ever could. As you can see, Hanna's happy with Katsura and Suki being…whatever they are, and Katsura…still thinks of Arisa, not herself, as Suki's girlfriend.<p>

There's also another issue here, and that's ages. I'm assuming that _somewhere_, the official birthdays for the characters from the canon have been released, but I have no idea where to find them, so I've been trying to avoid the age issue whenever possible. A year has passed since the start of the story, so it's pretty safe to say that Arisa and Suzuka are both 16 now…probably. As for the OCs, I've mostly avoided it for them, too, because I keep getting screwed up by the fact that in Japan, new school years start in the spring and so usually the oldest members of a given class are the ones with _April_ birthdays whereas in the U.S., they start in the fall and so the oldest are the ones with (depending on the district) either September or October birthdays. Now, the fact that I'm avoiding tying it to a specific year prevented me from giving an exact date for Tanabata, but this year Shinamori's birthday fell the day after it, so I figure it's probably like early August—don't have an exact date, though. And now, Katsura's has been revealed to be December 28. Suki's, well, I don't know exactly when Suki's is, but she was 13 when we first met her and she's 14 now. Given her noted Mary Sue qualities, the logical thing would be to give her my own birthday, but I actually did make reference to her being 13 in Chapter 14 (the same chapter where I pointed out what a Mary Sue she was), which would not only make her still 13 but would also mean that she was _12_ during her debut, and possibly (given my unsureness as to whether chapter 7 took place in late March or in early April) also during her first sex scene. Also, the thought of someone noted to look too old for her class actually being the youngest one in the class (barring anyone who outright moved ahead a year) is a bit jarring. So I can assure you that if there is a character in this story that shares my birthday, it's not Suki. Maybe it should be Miki? No, that would make too much sense, and I think I decided that it would be more fitting if she was actually one of the earlier birthdays in her class. The last place where I explicitly reference her age is Chapter 17, so it's totally possible that she actually turned 16 even before Shinamori did. I think I like this idea.

I'll figure out the OCs' birthdays eventually. (You probably noticed one change already—Natsume was referred to as a 10-year-old in chapter 20 (set in August), but an 11-year-old in Chapter 23 (December).) This is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	26. Chapter 26

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: Characters that are not mine, are not mine.

CCX: Finally, some characters who have been missing for a few chapters return. And things take a turn for the dramatic.

Chapter 26

*December 31—9:00 PM*

"I still can't believe my father insisted on meeting your parents before allowing me to go to your New Year's party," Miki said.

"Based on what I've heard? I can."

"What you've heard?"

"Well, you've told me a little, and Izei-kun has told me some things, too…well, answered some questions."

"Um…"

"Miki, you can't just deny it. You turn into a different person whenever…_that subject_ is breached, and Suzuka-chan wanted to know why."

"And what did you tell her?"

"I told her what I know. That she died shortly after I met you, and that you hate her for something related to the way she died. I couldn't tell her anything too concrete, though, because I don't know anything more. You haven't even told me. You don't tell anyone."

"No, I don't. Because that's in the past."

"Is it? You still go all cold whenever anyone mentions her."

"…What she did to our family is inexcusable."

"Is that why you told your sister that it was even worse than she thought?" Suzuka asked. "Something happened afterwards, something that you don't want Sakura-chan to ever find out about."

"Is that true?" Izei asked. "I know that Sakura doesn't remember what happened too well because she was only three, but…there's a secret you're keeping from her? Is it…is it something only you know, or does it…involve your father?"

"…Suzuka-chan? This _is_ a private matter. Is there somewhere Izei and I can go where we can talk privately?"

"Y-yeah…it's okay. I mean, I'm curious, but it's not my place to meddle."

* * *

><p>"Okay, if all wasn't forgiven before, it officially is now," Tatsuke said. "This place is huge!"<p>

"Yeah. This is my first time here, too, but Arisa's place is gigantic too," Suki replied. "And that means some spectacular parties."

"With spectacular food!"

"Tatsu-kun…"

"What?"

"…Yeah, you're right. Spectacular parties do have spectacular food."

* * *

><p>CCX: And now that we've had a short interlude to take care of the need for a scene switch…it's time.<p>

* * *

><p>"First, the part that Sakura-chan <em>does<em> know. For some time prior to her death—we're not sure exactly how long—our mother had been having an affair with a man who was found to be connected to the yakuza. There was a hit put out on him, and the assassin took advantage of him being 'otherwise engaged' to sneak up on him and shoot him—and of course, the assassin killed the woman he was with—my mother—because she was a witness. I don't know if they ever caught the killer; I'm assuming they did, but…here's the part that Sakura _doesn't_ know."

"When the two bodies were found, the police didn't know about the yakuza connection. All they knew was that a man and a woman had been murdered in the act of having sex, and that the woman was married. It's…not difficult to guess who their first suspect was. My father…had his suspicions that my mother might have been cheating on him, but it was the police, when they came to inform him of her death, who confirmed it. In one moment, he learned that his wife had been cheating on him _and_ that both she and her lover were now dead and he was suspected of two murders. It…crushed him. You remember how badly _I_ was fucked up after my mother died? Daddy was…even worse."

"E-even worse? But you were just a shell of a girl back then…"

Miki nodded. "Wouldn't you know it, my father actually _did_ own the exact same type of gun that killed my mother? I didn't even know that the police knew that when they first questioned my father. They were quickly able to rule it out as the murder weapon, because it had _never _been fired…but that didn't make them rule him out as a suspect. I didn't even know about it then, though. I only learned about it when…I walked in on him getting ready to fire it."

"I'm afraid to ask at whom," Izei said. "I already know, don't I?"

Miki nodded again. "All of those revelations at once, he couldn't take it. If I hadn't been there…I might've been an orphan." She started to cry. "Have you ever wondered why I still call my father 'Daddy' when my younger sister uses the far more grown-up-sounding 'Papa' to refer to him? It's because…it's because that's what I said to him then. You heard a little of it when you came to pick me up for the dance." Miki tried to make her voice sound the way it would've when she was six years old. "'Please, Daddy, don't leave us all alone! Mommy's not here; we need you Daddy! Sakura-chan and I need you!' Those were the words I said to him as I tried to wrestle the gun out of his hand, the one he had pointed at his own head. Trying to grab the gun away from him was stupid, and could've easily gotten me hurt as well, but I wasn't thinking; I was doing what was instinctive. My words, though… He came to his senses. As hard as the situation had been on him, he had two little girls who would be left with nobody if he'd gone through with his suicide. I…don't want Sakura-chan to know that our father had planned to commit suicide, and that I basically saved his life.

"Because you don't think she could handle it?"

"No…because I don't think _I_ could handle it. Besides, I'm the big sister, even if she is both taller and more physically developed than I am. It's my job to protect her."

"…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced you to relive all of this."

"No, it's okay. This is an important part of my past, even if it's one I'd prefer to bury. It's only fair that you should know… You, who has done more for me than anyone save for my father."

"And your sister."

"No, I was including her."

"You flatter me too much. But that does explain a lot. Why you hate your mother so much more than your sister does…why your father is so overprotective of you two…" For awhile, Miki just cried into Izei's chest, the two wrapped in each other's arms. _"It's times like this that Miki is so adorable. I'm probably one of the only people she allows to see her at her most vulnerable. I…want to let her know she's loved, and we've got plenty of privacy here. I could take her up on one of those perverted suggestions she makes so frequently, but…I don't know how appropriate it would be."_

Miki had noticed the level of privacy, too. _"Being somewhere like this, with Izei…what would two teenagers in love normally do in a place like this? But I can't suggest something like that now, can I? It just wouldn't be right…"_ "Should we…head back to the party now?"

"You want to? I, uh, I'm not quite sure…"

"Do I not look presentable?"

"No, you're fine…I was just wondering…"

"Yes?"

"I mean, you're normally the one who suggests things, and I normally tell you that they're inappropriate to be doing in public, but we've got privacy right now…"

"You…wouldn't mind?"

"Why would I? I've got a beautiful girlfriend who's actually willing."

"And whose primary physical appeal is to lolicons."

"You're growing up. Slowly, but it's happening."

"…You're so sweet. Full of shit, but it's the thought that counts."

"Am I really?" he asked, hands dropping to caress the gentle curvature of her bottom.

She blushed. "Okay, maybe I've got a little something nice. But you'd better not be trying to take advantage of me in my emotional state."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied, and started to undress.

*9:30 PM*

* * *

><p>CCX: That…was unexpected. I love it when a story goes in a different direction than planned.<p>

* * *

><p>*10:00 PM*<p>

"You're so adorable when your _kuudere_ side comes out, you know that, Suzuka-chan?"

"Kanna-chan, how many times have I told you that none of us know what you're talking about when you lapse into otakuspeak?"

Kanna looked hurt by this accusation. "O-otaku?! I'm nowhere near as obsessed as those losers. You can enjoy something without being overwhelmed by it…" (CCX: No, she isn't in denial. I've implied before that she is somewhat of a fan of certain anime—like when she started talking about magical girls—but she is by no means a closeted otaku.) "Anyway, I'm talking about you inviting all of Class 1-A to this party."

"What's wrong with the class rep playing hostess to the rest of her class at a party? Even if it's one that also features my parents' guests."

"Because I know that this was just an excuse to invite Kokuro-san. You know, he _does_ consider you a friend. You didn't have to hide it like this."

"I still like the way I did it. After all, you know what New Year's is for…"

"…And since Kusakabe-san is in Class 1-F, she's not here, whereas if you merely invited him as a friend, he'd be more likely to either turn you down in favor of something that would allow him to be with her at the stroke of midnight or pressure you into allowing him to bring her as a date."

"Well, I can't picture Kokuro-san pressuring anyone to do anything, but…yeah, pretty much."

"Shrewd."

* * *

><p>"Maybe this was a mistake. Look, you can't even find anything to grab a hold of," Miki said, Izei's hands running down her bare chest.<p>

"It wasn't a mistake. We had to give it a shot."

"…I'm happy that you were willing to satisfy my selfish demands, but…this isn't right. About the best thing that came of this was that there is no longer any mistaking your love for me for being a sign of latent pedophilic tendencies."

"Can we…not talk about that?"

"It's not a big deal. You've told me before that you're not sexually attracted to me."

"…That… that isn't entirely true anymore. I…I wanted this."

"Your 'equipment' says otherwise."

"If you want to stop, then we'll stop." One hand moved to her backside, the other remaining on her chest. "Do you…want me to stop?"

Izei knew exactly how to work his girlfriend. "N-no…don't stop. I'll try harder." She fell to her knees and began licking, trying to cause an erection.

"I think…the problem is not feeling you close to me. Maybe if I lied down, and you straddle me…"

Miki tried to crack a joke. "It sounds like what you _really_ want is to be chest-to-chest…and sex-to-sex."

"I'll give you the first half."

"Well, this is ridiculous."

"Maybe if you leaned over a bit more…just scooch back a bit…"

Miki rolled her eyes, but did as he asked, her rear moving closer to Izei's face. "That's as far as I can go. If you want me to sit on your face you'll have to forgo the blow job, because my torso's not that long." Izei didn't respond. "Eh, well, if it's got a chance of working…" She pushed further back, stretching her arms above her head so that she could still at least _reach_ his member, and began…well, trying to induce some reaction.

She would be the one to react. "I-Izei… Um, I don't think that's very sanitary, and it's kind of…weird." Izei, naturally, was unable to respond. "I-is this…what you want?" She tried to go along with it, gyrating as best as she could, anything to generate friction…

…Success. Miki could see the member beginning to enlarge. She started to crawl forwards, towards it, but Izei held her back. "But Izei…_ehhhh?!_" Arms locked around her thighs, his hands had begun probing…into regions yet unbreached. "Ah, Izei-kun, wai-wai-wait! Stop!"

He did so. "Did I go too far?"

"A-A little…" She blushed. "But…it was…rather pleasant. I'm just…"

"Still a little shy about putting things in there? Were all of those 'bloody tampon' threats completely empty?"

"Yes to the first, no to the second. I'm…I guess I'm still _not_ ready to have anyone else inserting anything into that particular hole." Her shy smile turned back into her usual mischievous grin. "But there's another hole that I'm pretty sure you'd love to stick it in." Izei was now sitting up, and she sat down on top of him, making sure to push herself as tightly up against his body as possible and wriggling as much as she could as she did so. "Is this to your liking? The heat of my body, close to yours?"

"Yeah…that's exactly it." He guided himself to fit together with her, and the two started rhythmically moving. "You're…okay with this?"

"Mmm…it feels a little weird, but…as long as you don't thrust too deep, I'll be fine." She reached up to stroke his face, and he put his arms around her, hands placed squarely over her undeveloped breasts. He kissed the top of her head, and they made love, truly, for the first time.

And then an incident started when a pair of the adult guests came in with the intent of using the secluded area for roughly the same purposes.

*10:45 PM*

* * *

><p>"So what happened? I thought you two wanted privacy to talk about Miki-chan's tragic past, not have kinky sex!" Suzuka said with a mixture of exasperation and amusement.<p>

"We did. But since we already had the privacy…why not continue to get to know each other a bit better?"

"It's a good thing we were able to defuse the situation so quickly. 'Some of our guests overreacted upon seeing that the spot they wanted to use for some impromptu nookie was already being used by a couple of teenagers. No, the report of child molestation was inaccurate; both of the youths in question are 16. It was an easy mistake to make in less-than-perfect lighting conditions, as Miss Ichirei _is_ quite short. We're sorry that your time had to be wasted like this.'"

"It's a good thing my ID doesn't list _all _of my measurements; it'd be a lot harder to explain it away if they found out that I look like a kid in _any_ lighting conditions. I'm still amazed that you were able to convincingly disguise my flatness so quickly."

"It was nothing."

"And it certainly helped that your backside's not really flat anyway," Izei said. "Subtle, but there."

"I…guess I should be happy for you, then? It sounds like you really were getting to it."

"There were some missteps, but that's to be expected from a pair of first-timers. But yeah…Miki and I really got intimate."

"It's getting close to midnight. Think you can settle for just a kiss when next we go at it?" Miki teased.

* * *

><p>*11:40 PM*<p>

"So…how are we going to do this?" Tatsuke asked.

"What do you mean?" Arisa asked.

"The stroke of midnight. Obviously we both get to kiss Suki-chan, but only one of us can do it right as the clock strikes twelve."

"Hmm…that's a good point. It's obvious, though, isn't it? We just both have to be here with her. Suki-tan, it should be your decision which one of us you kiss at midnight. Whoever you want. I won't feel insulted if you choose Tatsuke-san."

"Whoever I want…" _"I wonder what Katsu-tan's doing for New Year's? They both insisted that Hanna-chan's confession last week wouldn't change anything, that she didn't mean it that way and that they're still just best friends…but Hanna-chan will undoubtedly be with her when she needs someone to turn to to kiss, and I won't, and Katsu-tan was quick to volunteer her services to Hanna-chan's oppressed breasts at the hot springs a few days ago…"_

"You still with us, Suki-chan?" Tatsuke asked.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm here."

* * *

><p>*11:50 PM*<p>

"I thought I hadn't seen much of you around here," Suzuka said. "You shouldn't be so antisocial."

"I'm…just being the way I am. I guess I was never that big on large social gatherings…I should've just taken Chidori-san up on her offer to just spend a quiet evening at her place."

Suzuka did well to avoid showing any emotion about Kokuro's mention of his potential plans with Kusakabe. "Yeah, I remember you saying something to that effect before. So then if you don't like big gatherings…why _did_ you come?"

"Because I thought it would be fun. I don't know, I try to be sociable, but I'm not very good at it. And…you did invite the whole class, half of whom I get the feeling you don't even like that much. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't show up?"

"They're not so bad when they're not entertaining dreams of being my boyfriend," Suzuka said. "But then again, maybe I'm too picky. I guess…I just like someone who I can actually _talk_ to."

"Yeah, I know what you mean…"

"Do you? Do you really understand what I'm saying? Because I've pussyfooted around this issue for most of the year, and even when I tried to be direct I don't think I got the point across, and then I had to back off because of Kusakabe-san, and I know I'm being selfish because you've actually been together with her for over half a year, but I don't care because, I don't know, I guess I _was_ a little unsure at the time, but the more dates I went on the more I realized that our date was easily the best of all of them, so whatever it was that made you decide that we'd be better off as just friends, I don't feel the same way, and so I'm just going to come out and say that I _like_ you, Kokuro-san, like _really_ like you a lot, and it seems like I messed up the timing on this speech just like I messed up everything else because there's still a good minute or so left until midnight but you know what, screw it, I'm doing this anyway." And then she kissed him all the way into the new year.

* * *

><p>Text received at 11:48 PM: <em>"Couldn't stand being without you. Why don't you ditch your fellow guests and come make out with this party-crasher at midnight?"<em>

"I really think Himiya-san is a bad influence on you, Hanna-chan," Mayu said.

"You give her too much credit. We've gotten into these shenanigans together for years," Katsura replied, "and they're often her ideas. I'm sure you'd be more than willing to admit that she's a better planner than I am, right, Aoba-chan?"

"You didn't have to do this, Mayu-chan. If we get in trouble, you'll probably get it the worst, because you also stowed away in a police car to get inside for us."

"No, no, I'm happy to help you out. What would you have done if my father _hadn't_ been called to the Tsukimura mansion to sort out a disturbance?"

"We'd have been forced to bust out our mad infiltration skills," Hanna said, completely deadpan.

"Honed from hours upon hours of playing the _Metal Gear Solid_ series," Katsura added.

"I didn't know you were into video games," Mayu said.

"Well, with all of these systems nowadays having backwards compatibility with the previous generation's games, there's no need for my brothers to keep their older consoles once they get the new ones, so I get them second-hand," Hanna said. "Though I have to admit that the MGS series was so much fun that I eventually ended up asking them to let me use the PS3 so I could play _4_ as well."

"I didn't like _4_ as much, though," Katsura said. "Too much weird stuff going on, and Snake had gotten _old_!"

"_They're really in their own little world, those two…"_

"So, what about you two?" Katsura asked. "I have my reasons for being here, but you two…wouldn't you have more fun spending your New Year's somewhere else?"

"I'm happy seeing you happy. You know that. Besides, it's too close to midnight. Where would we be able to get to in time?" Hanna replied.

"I suppose we'd have to end up kissing each other, though," Mayu said, in a tone that suggested that she was joking. _"Though, if I _were_ to kiss a girl, I'd definitely want it to be Hanna-chan…"_

"There'll be plenty of other New Years. Just because we're in junior high now—or, for that matter, because we're attending—"

"—crashing—"

"—crashing a high school party—doesn't mean we have to start kissing people at midnight like we're grownups."

"Speaking of 'grown up', what happened there, Hanna-chan? Forgive me, but…you weren't that stacked when last we had school."

"Actually…yes, I was. I was just wrapping them tighter. In fact, you'll probably notice that they look larger now than they did when the night began, because once I realized that I wouldn't be needing to do any espionage I let them out a bit."

"'_A bit?'_ Does that mean they're actually _bigger_?"

"A-A little… they're still positively tiny compared to Makimaro-sempai's!"

"Aoba-chan…Hanna-chan really doesn't like it when attention is drawn to her breasts. At least, not unless it's _male_ attention." Mayu was still subconsciously grabbing at her own chest, which like Katsura's was still somewhat lacking.

"How did you three get in here?"

"Mayu-chan stowed away in her father's police car when he came to investigate the disturbance here. She let us in. Otherwise we were going to go all Solid Snake on this place," Katsura said. "Speaking of which, why are you hunched over and wearing a generic-looking overcoat over your head?"

"Why do you think? It's not easy to sneak away from two people bent on making sure they're by your side, and even harder when you stand out in a crowd as much as I do."

"That's true. Your height and your hair color both make you quite noticeable," Hanna said.

"I…wasn't sure if you'd actually come," Katsura said, a pale blush tingeing her cheeks. "I mean, I'm not…"

"My girlfriend?" Suki asked. "Because Arisa-chan and Tatsuke-kun both wanted to be the one to kiss me right at midnight, and left it up to me to choose who I wanted to be with. And even though I didn't yet know that you were here…all I could think of was you. Let's ring in the new year together," she said, as the clock came seconds away from midnight, and she kissed her pale-skinned kohai. "I'd better get back to them. I'll just tell them that I couldn't bear having to choose between the two of them and leave it at that."

* * *

><p>*January 1st, 12:05 AM*<p>

"I…think I messed up," Suzuka said.

"I…may have messed up, too. Suki-tan just kind of disappeared. Maybe we were wrong, putting the choice of who to kiss at midnight on her, but… so what did you do?"

"Confessed. Kissed him. Really long one, too, because in trying to make sure I said everything I wanted to say before midnight I started too early and was left with like 45 seconds when my speech ended, and that was after I tacked on a little bit _about_ finishing it early. He ran off."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah, but at least I sort of got my New Year's kiss, even if it was kind of forcefully taken. You still in need of one?"

"Well, if you're offering…"

"Aw, Arisa-chan, I was hoping I could find you and Tatsu-kun together so I could apologize to both of you at once. I just couldn't bring myself to decide between you two, so I—"

"—Went with a third option," two voices said in unison, one triumphant, the other spiteful. The spiteful one, Arisa, seeing the triumphant one, Katsura, behind the poor girl stuck in the middle of it all. "You certainly have a way of popping up, don't you, you stray?!"

* * *

><p>CCX: <em>Way<em> too dramatic. Katsura was introduced as this delicate little thing, but it turns out she's anything but. And on another note that I wanted to add at the time but it broke the flow because it was brought up during Suzuka's run-on sentence is that it seems weird to say that Kokuro and Kusakabe have been going out for a long time now, but because Kokuro barely gets any appearances and the chapters have been spaced further apart (when there isn't a single event spanning multiple chapters), there hasn't been much changing over the last 6 in-story months regarding him and his dating status. But of course, it seems that this is all driving us closer to our foregone conclusion, which means this story could be wrapping up in just a few more chapters. I kind of have mixed feelings about that; I'm enjoying writing this so much that I'm going to be quite sad when it's all over. For now, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	27. Chapter 27

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit undertaking. Well, nothing tangible, anyway. My happiness from writing and having my work read is all the profit I get.

Chapter 27

*January 1*

"A cat pun? Seriously? Well, it does explain our antagonism…bitch."

"I thought that was _your_ job," Arisa shot back.

"That was horrible the first time," Suki said, "and it's still horrible now."

"Speaking of bitches, look what I found," Tatsuke interjected, dragging Hanna behind him. "So, you chose neither of us?"

"She chose neither of us," Arisa confirmed.

"You guys better not start another incident. One visit from the police was enough for one night," Suzuka tried to mediate.

"Was it enough, or was it one too many?" asked Tatsuke. "Tsukimura-san, did you by any chance catch the name of the officer who came to sort out the first disturbance?"

"Er, I wasn't _really_ paying attention, why?"

"Was it by any chance Cpl. Aoba?"

"Yeah, I think that sounds right…what are you getting at?"

"It means that these two nudniks had another accomplice. Cpl. Aoba's daughter is quite the fan of Watagami-chan's."

"Eh? What are you talking about, Bannings?! Mayu-chan's the straightest arrow I know," Hanna said.

"Why does everyone always assume there's a romantic angle? You of all people should be above that, Watagami-chan. And I should slug you for addressing me without an honorific."

"Let go of me, Hayama-sempai. If it's a fight she wants, it's a fight she'll get."

"She isn't serious, is she? That suddenly large chest's about to swell up a lot more."

"_Goddamnit, what I wouldn't give to be able to fire a Starlight Breaker right now,"_ Suzuka thought. "Enough! Fighting!"

"But…"

"No," Suzuka insisted, and latched onto Arisa.

"Suzuka, let me go!"

"Mm-mm. Not going to let you get in trouble." She lowered her voice to a whisper so only Arisa could hear. "And since I can't Starlight Breaker your ass into listening to me like Nanoha-chan would, I'm just going to have to hold you until you calm down."

Hearing Nanoha's name and signature attack calmed her down a bit. "Yeah…Nanoha wouldn't want me to do this."

"Bannings-san? It looks like you have someone else who really loves you. I can't speak for Hanna-chan, but I don't want to have to fight you. Can you…can you please just give me this?"

"Watagami-chan easily cares for you just as much as Suzuka-chan cares for me, so your argument's kinda invalid…"

"But you love Tsukimura-san back. I _care _about Hanna-chan, but I don't have any romantic feelings for her, and…I don't think she has any for me, either."

"And you don't think it's the same with me and Suzuka-chan?" Katsura shook her head, and Suzuka was somewhat shocked. "…Yeah, you're right. Good eye, Himi…Katsura-san."

"You're backing down?" Tatsuke and Suki both asked incredulously.

"…Yeah. I still love you, Suki-tan…but I'm a woman of my word. I said it was your choice, and that I wouldn't be insulted if you didn't choose me."

"Actually you said you wouldn't feel insulted if I chose Tatsu-kun…" Suki pointed out.

"Well, at the time I thought that he and I were the only two options. But more importantly, the kitten's got a good point. I think…maybe the right girl for me has been there all along."

* * *

><p>"I should've come here in the first place," Kokuro said. "Sorry I wasn't here earlier, Chi-chan."<p>

"It's okay, but…why the change of heart?"

"Oh, no reason…"

"She kissed you, didn't she?"

"What? Who?!"

"The class rep. Tsukimura-san. I…see the way she looks at me. It…made me feel good, to think that there was someone jealous of me, though I felt horrible about thinking that way…"

"You could tell that she had a crush on me?" Kusakabe nodded. "I could've done something before it came to this…"

"Would you have? You're such a nice person…"

"I'm not sure if I like the implication there…"

"It's a good thing!"

"Well, if anything, that would make me the type to let someone down gently."

"Th-that's true. You are so very gentle…"

"Again, I know you mean well but I'm not sure if I like the way that sounds."

Kusakabe smiled. "Silly male pride."

* * *

><p>*a few days later*<p>

"Hey, I think it actually is working!" Miki said happily.

"What is?" Izei asked.

"The 'having a boy rubbing your breasts makes them grow' thing! Look, don't they look bigger to you?"

"Miki-chan…"

"Don't they _feel_ bigger to you?"

"You're insatiable, you know that?"

"Hmph. Most guys would kill for a girlfriend who is so eager to give him access to her breasts," she said, puffing out her bared chest even further.

"There's eager and then there's overeager," Izei countered.

"You don't care one way or the other if they grow, do you? Maybe you even _like_ flat-chested girls…but I don't think that's it. I think you don't care how I fill out a top as long as I can fill out a miniskirt. Is that it? Because I've been a horribly foul little girl…perhaps you should put me over your knee and spank me?" She obligingly pulled down her panties.

"Miki-chan, what's with the sudden interest in kinky stuff like that?"

"I'm just trying to find out what you like. Based on our interlude on New Year's Eve, you seem to enjoy my bottom quite a bit…"

"I enjoy all of you. Except for this perverted part that keeps coming out."

"Do you really hate my perverted side?"

"I didn't say I hated it; I said I didn't enjoy it."

"…I love you, Izei."

"I love you too, Miki."

* * *

><p>"Did I do the right thing?" Arisa asked.<p>

"I'm not exactly the best person to ask that question. You know full well _I _approve of your decision."

"I really thought she and I had something special. The two of us even told her the truth about Nanoha-chan and the others."

"Arisa…"

"I know, I know. I'm a silly, silly girl who should just shut up and enjoy the budding sex goddess snuggled up in my bed with me."

"Yes, you should," Suzuka said, perfectly deadpan despite being extremely embarrassed at being called a budding sex goddess.

"I can deal with that." She kissed her best friend and lover. "Love ya, Suzuka."

"Love you too, Arisa."

* * *

><p>Omake 1—Loose Ends<p>

"Hey, cutie," Kanna said. "Haven't seen you around school."

"Oops! You caught me. I'm a party crasher," Mayu replied.

"I'd crash you, alright…"

"…Sorry, but I'm straight."

"The cute ones always are."

* * *

><p>Omake 2—Author Allusion<p>

"I can deal with that." She kissed her best friend and lover. "Love ya, Suzuka."

"Love you too, Arinya."

"…Arinya? You _do_ know that I'm not too big on cats right now, right?"

"S-sorry…but even if one of them stole your girlfriend away, I'll always be a cat person."

"Whatever…Chuzuka."

"'_Chuzuka_'?! Your thing is _dogs_; couldn't you at least call me 'Suzuwan' or something?"

"Eh, not so big on dogs at the moment either. Had enough bitches."

"…Let's forget this pet name thing."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

><p>CCX: …Um.<p>

I _said_ last chapter that this was driving us _closer_ to the conclusion, but I didn't expect it to end this quickly. But…there's not much more to say. I think…I think this is it. Everything seems to be wrapped up neatly. Guess I'll have to get my act together and break the writer's block on _Scarlet Devil Rhapsody_. But hey, look on the bright side…there's a C2 that's already taken some of my other works that specifically says it only takes finished pieces. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before this gem makes its way in there. This is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	28. Chapter 28

_When it's over, is it really over?_

That's a line from a song I've already used for a yuritastic fanfic, and I used it to tweet that the final chapter of _Lonely No More _was up. And the answer, of course, is…no way. There's kind of still some issues that were left unresolved, after all…

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 28

Disclaimer: None of the stuff that isn't owned by me is owned by me.

*January 7*

"You know, you really should answer her," Suzuka said.

"Why? That's in the past."

"Arisa…this isn't you. I'm _thrilled_ that you want to be with me—really, I am. Truth be told, you weren't all that far off when you guessed what I wished for at Tanabata…but it wasn't Kokuro-san that I wished to be with. But don't turn this into a bad breakup when it wasn't one."

"…Okay." Arisa answered the ringing phone. "Hey, Suki-tan."

"Hey yourself, Ari-chan. I was wondering when you'd start taking my calls again."

"Yes, well, my _girlfriend_ thinks I should, so…"

Suki laughed. "Are you trying to be as big an ass to me as possible to drive me away? Because you know I love you too much to let that happen."

"You'll get over me eventually. I mean…you sort of had even when we were still a couple."

"Don't be like that. I…I'm sorry. Okay, fine, you have every right to be like that. I screwed up."

"I don't think you did. Your first love isn't always going to be 'the one'. Katsura-chan's good for you."

"I won't deny that. But that doesn't excuse what I did to you. And…I do still love you, but you're probably right that we can no longer be together as a couple. But that doesn't mean that we have to just disappear from each other's lives. I…I really don't want that to happen."

Arisa sighed. "I'll be right over."

"What? No, no, you don't have to do that. You said you took my call because Suzu-chan wanted you to, so obviously she's with you. I couldn't impose…"

"We went out for close to a year. You think I can't tell when you're crying, even over the phone?"

"Damn you, Arisa. You always saw right through me."

* * *

><p>CCX: I think I set this up poorly…I don't really want the next scene to be that one, but by starting out with a scene that's clearly after they've left school and putting both canon characters into it, I've backed myself into a corner. I guess there is still one side plot lacking canon characters that I can cut away to…<p>

* * *

><p>"Izei? I have a question, and I want you to be honest with me," Miki said. "When we're…making love, do you mentally age me up? Physically, I mean…just enough to, you know, match my actual age."<p>

"Miki-chan…you know I couldn't do that. Loving you means loving you just the way you are."

"Izei…"

"…Well, okay, maybe a little, but it's not like I can tell my mind's eye one thing when my other senses are clearly telling me another."

"…Would you care? You never really answered me."

"Huh? You mean if you looked like a little girl for your entire life? Well, it would definitely be weird. At the very least, it would be hard to explain it to other people. And I definitely would _like_ it if you grew, so I can't say that I wouldn't care, no more than you can say that _you_ don't care. But if you're asking if some taller, curvier girl will be able to steal away my affections in university if you still haven't filled out by then, then no, I'm not that shallow. I _love_ you, Miki." Izei kissed her deeply and passionately.

"…You had to emphasize taller and curvier, didn't you?" Miki asked after breaking the kiss, almost a minute later.

"Well, it's not like I could've said 'prettier', because no one will ever be as beautiful to me as you."

"You lying sack of shit. Please, continue." She grinned.

"I'm not just stroking your ego. You're usually the cynic, so certainly you must have wondered about our relationship. The whole 'childhood friend' romance isn't really all that common outside of fiction, right?"

"The Westermarck effect. But that's more about people who were raised together at a young age. We didn't even meet each other until the start of school, and we weren't all that close at first."

"Bingo. By the time we really started spending much time together outside of school—aside from birthday parties where it's really just the whole class, you know—I already had a crush on you. The prettiest girl in class 4-C."

Miki blushed. "Th-that far back, huh?"

"I told you, you actually looked your age still when I first fell for you. But then you stopped growing, and it became awkward. …I really am glad that we met Suzuka-chan and she set me straight. Perverted though you may be at times, I'm much happier now that you're my girlfriend than I was when you were just my best friend whom I had a secret crush on."

Miki kissed Izei. "You know I just say those things to tease you, right? Well, okay, yes, I _am_ also a horny teenager, but be serious. You're dating a girl who appears to be 10 years old. You're going to get teased quite a bit. And being that girl, I have every right to do the lion's share of that teasing."

"And I have every right to take advantage of the fact that you're every bit as _ticklish_ as a little girl, too," he retorted, and soon had her on the bed in a fit of hysterics. Of course, things had changed, and so instead of remaining halfway pushed up to expose her stomach, Miki's shirt was soon off completely, followed by her bra and Izei's shirt.

A knock on the bedroom door interrupted them. "Keep it down, will you? One, I'm trying to do my homework, and two, Papa's probably going to be home from work soon and even though he allows you to date now that you're in high school, I doubt he'd be happy to find out that you lost your virginity before hitting your growth spurt."

"Sakura-chan! I'll have you know that I'm still a virgin!"

"Oh. Sorry. I just assumed…"

"That's the one line that we're not going to cross until she starts looking like an adult. Or until we're married, whichever comes first," Izei said.

"You-you're not seriously thinking of…"

"Marriage? No, of course not. Much too soon to be thinking about that. But if, down the line, we were to get married and you still looked like you were maybe at most 12, then I'm sorry, I still wouldn't let that get in the way of consummating the marriage. Because by then you'd probably be in your early to mid-twenties and I'd have to resign myself to the fact that it's never going to happen."

* * *

><p>CCX: Side note: Word's grammar check suggested either "be thinks", "be is thinking", or "be was thinking" for that last paragraph. However, in this note, it wanted to change "be is thinking" to "he is thinking". WORD! *shakes fist*<p>

* * *

><p>Miki frowned. "I resigned myself to that a long time ago."<p>

"Don't. You even said you're starting to grow a little. I have faith. One of these days, you're going to turn heads, and everyone's going to wonder where you came from, and I'll look like a genius for wrapping you up before they could have a chance."

Miki and Sakura both laughed. "All about you, isn't it, Izu-kun?" Sakura asked.

"No, it's all about Miki-chan. But why shouldn't I brag about my insight? Although, it shouldn't really take too much to figure it out nowadays."

"And why is that?" Miki asked. Izei just nodded in Sakura's direction. "Just because we're sisters doesn't mean I'm going to look like her someday."

"Maybe not, but seeing her makes me believe that you'll grow eventually."

"I keep wondering about that myself," Sakura said. "How did I get so tall and curvy at such a young age, when my older sister is _still_ short and flat? …Although I suppose I'm not really all that tall; it just seems that way in comparison with oneechan."

"Because the world hates me and this is all one big cosmic joke," Miki said dryly.

"Well, no matter how tall I get, you'll always be my big sister. And I'll still look up to you even when I can rest my boobs on your head."

Miki couldn't help but crack a smile. "I don't think you'll get _that_ tall. Even Makimaro-san's barely tall enough to do that, and she's part-American, I think."

"Who?"

"One of Suzuka-chan's friends. …Actually, she's dating Suzuka-chan's best friend."

"You say that like it's something weird."

"…Yeah, I guess just saying 'best friend' wouldn't necessarily preclude it from being a boy, would it? Since Izei and I were best friends before we became boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Ah. But that's not the case here, then, is it?"

"Nope. I never really saw the appeal in homosexuality, but I don't have a problem with it. And if I were to be attracted to a girl, Bannings-san's girlfriend would definitely be a good choice."

"Part-American…oh, yeah. That tall blonde girl that I've seen a few times but doesn't go to our school?"

"So you _have_ noticed her," Miki rounded on Izei.

"Like you said, it's hard not to. She's quite tall, and very striking. But there's a difference between noticing someone and, well, _noticing_ them."

"…Yeah, well, she's another one who matured early. She doesn't go to our school because she still goes to the junior high that Suzuka-san attended. She's two years younger than us."

"…Huh. Yeah, I see what you mean. Even tossing out your appearance as an anomaly, she doesn't appear two years younger than our class." He turned to Sakura again. "On the other hand, her being one year older than you would seem totally believable to anyone who didn't know either of your actual ages."

* * *

><p>"Hi."<p>

"That's all you can say?"

Arisa kissed Suki. "Is that better?"

"Yeah. God, Arisa, I've missed you so much."

"It's only been a week!"

"Yeah, well, I'm a teenager. We're not exactly known for being emotionally stable or making rational decisions."

"So acid-tongued. Watch it, or I might start falling in love with you again."

"Just as planned."

A moment of silence, and then Arisa rushed to embrace Suki and kissed her again. "I've missed you too."

"You're not happy with your new girlfriend?"

"Oh, no, I'm quite happy with Suzuka. But it's very different. She's, well, every bit the firecracker you are in bed—as you already know, since we had a threesome—but outside of that, she's a sweet girl, whereas you're just as fiery in the streets as you are in the sheets. Also she lacks your…'endowments.'"

"Most girls do. Just in the time I've known her, though, she's gotten quite a bit shapelier."

"True. I feel like I'm getting left behind."

"Well, I'm not the best person to compare to."

"…I was actually referring to the five of us. My old group of friends… Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan, and Hayate-chan were all already pretty well developed by the time they left. Though none of them are as tall as you, Fate-chan could easily compete with you where curves are concerned."

"I really wish I could meet your friends. And not _just_ because they're apparently real live magical girls, although that is certainly very interesting."

"You _did_ meet Nanoha-chan, remember?"

"Right. Yeah, and you let her know that she didn't have to hide her magic from me."

"What did you think of her?"

"Well, I didn't really get to meet her that well."

"…That's not what I meant."

"…Oh. Oh, right, you were in love with her."

"Everyone was. Suzuka even said that everyone loved Nanoha-chan somewhat, and I didn't even know that she was a lesbian—_bisexual_, sorry—until just before Nanoha-chan left. I guess she's kind of like you in that regard."

"I don't think I'm…"

"Please. You have your own fanclub of first-year girls. Most guys would be too intimidated to ask you out. You're gorgeous, Suki-tan."

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but…yeah. But from what you've told me, Takamachi-san didn't win people over with her looks. Though she _was_ pretty cute."

"Yeah. Nanoha has a way with people. But…I think you do, too."

"…I'm actually a sweet girl, too, you know. Hanna-chan called me out on that, before Katsu-tan managed to confess. Said I was 'killing her with kindness', by being so sweet to her and thereby making it that much more painful to be unable to confess, fearing that I wouldn't return her love."

"How's that going for you, by the way? You and Katsura-san."

"Pretty well, I guess. But it's tough because she and Hanna-chan are so close, and even though Hanna-chan tries to give us our space, Katsu-tan tends to gravitate back towards her."

"We need to find Watagami-chan a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend, I suppose, but she doesn't…"

"Yeah, she seems pretty insistent on that. Then again, she and Katsu-tan used to engage in perverted antics together, so it's a possibility."

"Just because Katsura-san and you go both ways doesn't mean everyone will."

"You left your current girlfriend out."

"Because I'm _still _not convinced that she's not just a pure lesbian who's still in denial about not being attracted to men."

"She _did_ seem quite comfortable with the other ladies, didn't she? After all, she sent a message to me on the dance floor without even trying to."

"_That_ I'm willing to blame on you. You could turn a straight girl gay. In Katsura-san's case, you may have already done so."

"I look at the dynamic between her and Hanna-san and I refuse to believe that there weren't already some underlying lesbian tendencies."

"You see lesbian undertones? All I see is two girls who are so close they might as well be twins."

"You're right; that is also an equally valid interpretation and I'm looking at everything through shipping goggles."

"That's your prerogative. Like you said, you're a foolish teenage girl in love."

"Have I mentioned how big a mistake I made? Because it feels like it's been way too long since I've been with a real woman."

"Tiny-tits not doing it for you? Because I don't think I'll be much help in that department."

"It's not the shape that's the problem. It's the experience. I adore Katsu-tan and am more than willing to be patient with her budding sexuality, but I'm only 14. I'm not a master. And right now…I'd rather be with _my_ teacher."

* * *

><p>CCX: <em>Really<em> almost had her say "13"—was thinking that perhaps her birthday was coming up soon. But again, I didn't want her to be one of the youngest in her class. I took a look at the traditionally defined star signs to see which one fit her best, and I think…she was probably already almost 14 when we last referred to her as "13", at the dance in late May, because Gemini looks like a good fit. I don't know what that does for her compatibility with Arisa, because Arisa is a canon character and therefore I can't make up a birthday for her (and don't know her real one), but there is…just about nothing mentioned one way or the other regarding her compatibility with a Capricorn like Katsura, making me think that it's just average—not good, but not bad.

* * *

><p>"Aaah…ugh. This is why I wanted to just shut you out," Arisa said. "I didn't trust myself not to do this."<p>

"Don't resist it. Just follow your heart."

"My heart says that I should let you be with Katsura-san."

"Ignore your heart. It's stupid."

"Suki…"

"Forget about Katsu-tan. What does your heart tell you about _me_?" she asked, then moved Arisa's hands to her bared breast and added, "What does _my_ heart tell you about _us_?"

"Suki…you know I still love you. But…"

"No buts." (CCX: Was going to put in an "except this one", but then I remembered that the dialogue is allegedly translated from Japanese.)

* * *

><p>*Next morning*<p>

"So now apparently we're friends with benefits," Arisa said.

"Really? You're not back to being a couple?"

"I don't know. I think…I think I'm back to being her mistress." Arisa smiled, trying not to laugh. Suzuka and Arisa headed their separate ways of to class.

"Does anyone know where Chura-san is?" Suzuka asked.

"Probably was walking his new girlfriend to school and got hung up," replied one of the other boys, Nitodaki Hao.

"Oh? Chura-san has a new girlfriend who doesn't go to this school?"

"Yeah, she's a bit younger, so she's still in junior high. They met at your New Year's party, so I figured she was an old friend of yours."

Suzuka was confused, as she hadn't invited anyone from junior high to her party other than Suki and Tatsuke. Of course, Katsura and Hanna showed up, but they were swiftly dealt with…

…But there was a third gatecrasher, wasn't there? The policeman's daughter. Suzuka decided that as class rep, she'd have to talk to Chura about this. Just then he came racing in, bowing to the teacher and apologizing for being late, though conveniently failing to give an explanation for his tardiness. Suzuka chatted him up between classes.

"So, I hear you found a new girlfriend at my party last week, someone who still goes to my junior high?" Chura nodded. "I should tell you that I can count the number of attendees from there on one hand. Two second-years whom I _invited_, who are currently dating each other, and three _first-year_ gatecrashers."

"Mai-chan told me she was a third-year." (CCX: Again, I have to add letters that aren't there to fit with the way Japanese works.)

"Well, then, she'd be coming here in just a couple of months. Surely she wouldn't be willing to lie when she'd be found out so swiftly, would she?"

"…Why do you care?"

"Well, like I said, gatecrasher. But also, it's my job as class rep to look out for my classmates, and getting in a relationship with a girl three years your junior might not be the best idea."

"Good point. Wasn't that why the police ended up at your party?"

"That was a misunderstanding because Ichirei-san _looks_ so much younger than she is. And it was that incident that allowed the gatecrashers to get in in the first place. The officer who came to investigate was Corporal Aoba. Does that name ring any bells?"

"…That would explain why she doesn't let me meet her at her house when walking her to school. She was never supposed to be at that party…and she really doesn't want her father to find out she was there."

"From what I hear, she stowed away in his police car to get in."

"I'm definitely going to have to confront her about this."

* * *

><p>"So, Mai-chan, I hear you're a very naughty girl."<p>

"What?! I'm a good girl, Shun!" (CCX: Chura's first name is "Shu"; "Shun" is a shortened version of "Shu-kun".)

"You snuck into that party. Also, you're not a third-year."

"…So I guess it's over, huh?"

"Not at all. I happen to like bad girls," Chura replied, kissing her. "C'mon, let's go."

* * *

><p>CCX: That…did not even start to address the major issue that was still left hanging, although Arisa and Suki's breakup certainly was a potential issue as well. So no, I don't think <em>Lonely No More<em> is going to be ending soon. Until next time, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	29. Chapter 29

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 29

Disclaimer: Back to basics.

*still sometime in January*

"Hey, not so close," Suzuka said softly as Arisa put her arm around her at lunch, "we're in public."

"Such a stickler for the rules. Can't you use your power as a member of Student Council to _ignore_ regulations?"

"That's not it. Have you forgotten?"

"…You're still not open about your sexuality."

"Nope. You won't hold that against me, will you?"

"Of course not. But…it's still disappointing."

* * *

><p>CCX: Told ya the issue that caused Chapter 27 to cease being the final chapter wasn't even addressed in Chapter 28.<p>

* * *

><p>"It's been…kind of awkward between us lately," Kokuro said. "I don't really like that. I'm sorry—"<p>

"Stop. Don't apologize. _You_ did nothing wrong. What I did was stupid, and I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

"I could've been more attentive, though—"

"Don't worry about it. I think maybe you were right, after all. It's not like I contradicted you when you first said you didn't feel it; it was only after my other dates turned out so badly that I started thinking that someone like you, whom I have a lot in common with, would be good for me. But you're right; we just aren't right for each other." _"Truthfully…I'm starting to doubt that any _boy_ will be. Arisa and Kanna-chan keep teasing me that I'm really a lesbian who thinks she's bi, but…"_

"Yeah…we should try to stay friends." Suzuka just nodded.

* * *

><p>"So, how are you going to handle it when your new boyfriend finds out you're only a first-year?" Yuriko asked.<p>

"He already knows," Mayu replied. "And he didn't end it."

"You should be careful," Hanna said. "There's only one reason that guys go for younger girls."

"Hey, I may not be built like you, but I still managed to make a convincing third-year!" Hanna nervously put her arms over her chest.

"That wasn't what I meant. I just don't want you to be taken advantage of."

"I can handle myself. You're not worried about being left behind, are you?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not concerned with doing 'that' yet, but if I wanted to, do you really think I'd have a problem finding a willing partner?"

"Both of you, be quiet," Katsura said. "Yes, Hanna-chan, you've been getting plenty of attention from the boys in our class since you stopped binding your breasts, but you can do better than our fellow first-years."

"You've got it easy, Katsu-chan. Thinking about the relative maturity levels, it's easy to understand why you're attracted to girls."

"Hey. You know I'm still the same as I ever was, right?"

"Sempai's really okay with that?"

"She didn't seem to object when we brought it up at the onsen. Although we weren't actually dating yet at the time, and there wasn't necessarily anything about me continuing… But I can't see why she'd have a problem. She did have an agreement in place allowing her to have a boyfriend and a girlfriend at the same time."

"'Did', huh? Things still not so cordial between you and Hayama-sempai?"

"Nope. Though I really don't feel like I'm the one he should be mad at."

"Why is that?"

"It doesn't seem like he had any particular affinity to Arisa-san, so it _shouldn't_ matter one way or the other. But she was the incumbent, and I was the interloper, and Sempai chose _me_ when she was still in a relationship with Arisa-san."

"It represents infidelity."

"Exactly. But _I_ wasn't unfaithful to anyone."

"…And if you want to keep it that way, maybe you should rethink the idea of continuing to engage in our old shameless boy-chasing shenanigans."

"…You're probably right."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Arisa-san. I would've expected you'd be just as busy this season, since this was your sport too."<p>

Arisa was momentarily taken aback. The end of the conversation at Suzuka's New Year's party—after Suzuka had prevented their fight from escalating to physical blows—had been somewhat civil, but this was the first time she'd ever heard Katsura speak to her without the slightest hint of venom in her voice. "Y-yeah…I only had practice today, so I was still able to make it in time to see Suki play."

An uncomfortable pause. "That's what I figured. I was hoping that there were other friends that you were here for, but…I didn't think that was it."

"…I ignored her phone calls for a week after we broke up. I only started talking to her again because Suzu-chan said I should; the break-up didn't have to be any worse than it was."

"So then are you…"

"We're just friends. Very close friends, but…" Arisa sighed. "I'd be lying if I said I don't still have feelings for her, and I know she still has feelings for me, too. But I've got Suzuka now, and she's got you. So no hard feelings."

"Of course not. You seem like a fine person, and the only problem I ever had with you was that you were in the way of me being with Sempai. Now that…ha. I was going to say 'now that that's no longer an issue, I have no problem being friends with you', but that really sounds like gloating and I didn't want to do that. I guess it's kind of hard not to sound selfish where love is concerned, though, isn't it?" (CCX: I'm suddenly reminded of the chorus of "Misery Business" by Paramore. There's no songfic potential there, though, because the verses don't come close to applicability with these characters.)

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Now that we're no longer fighting, I'm starting to see what else Suki-tan sees in you."

"What _else_?"

"Well, it's obvious you're very pretty."

"Don't sell yourself short. Yeah, your look is definitely very tomboyish, but you make it look _good_. And you seem to be good at accentuating what you've got."

"Ah…actually, this was an outfit I bought when Suki-tan and I were shopping together. She picked it out for me."

"Damn. Now I wish you weren't seeing me in my uniform. She took me shopping, too; most of my new favorite outfits were picked out by her."

"She definitely knows how to flatter a girl's body."

"Well, given the one she's got, she'd better."

* * *

><p>CCX: I'm suddenly once again aware of the natural Americanitis that occasionally pervades American-authored fanfiction. It's been noted already that Suki's body is very much more typical of an American than a Japanese person, even though she's mostly Japanese with only a little American, but now that I think about it, that should mean she wouldn't easily be able to find clothes that fit her.<p>

CC: Don't worry about it. It's anime Japan, not real-world Japan, so demographics may not be exactly the same.

CCX: Yeah, _but…_ _Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha_ is for the most part pretty good about realistic hair colors. Granted, we don't even see too many Earth-born characters, but most of the ones we do see are various shades of brunette, with the exception of Arisa who is explicitly noted to be a foreigner. If you wanted to quibble, you could say that Suzuka's hair is a bit too purple to just be a different shade of black, and Nanoha (and her mother) trend almost to the reddish side of the brunette spectrum, but all in all, I'm going to have to say that the show seems pretty good about giving people appropriate hair colors, saving the wilder (or just less Japanese) ones for characters not native to Earth. Back to the story.

* * *

><p>"Arisa-chan!" Suki cried out happily upon emerging from the locker room after the game, before noticing that Katsura was right there. "Ah, um…"<p>

"Still the last one out of the locker room? You know that you don't have your old excuse for that, right?" Arisa teased.

"Well, I have to clean up nicely for my…" she hesitated, "well, apparently I have a couple of people I have to clean up for."

"You could've just said 'girlfriend'. She _is_ here, after all."

"But we both know that I'm not the one she's concerned about. Which seems odd because you're a jock yourself."

"Well, I get to see a lot more of you," Suki said, wrapping her arms around the younger girl and giving her a kiss.

"Do you now?"

Arisa received a playful slug for her trouble. "Not what I meant, you perv! Although, I wouldn't mind seeing you out of that uniform…"

"And you accuse me of being a perv. You'd better watch yourself around this one."

Arisa was unnerved by the grin she received in reply. "I'm sure."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Suki asked.

"I was just assuring Arisa-san that her worries are misplaced."

"Uh…I guess I should just leave you to that."

"No, seriously, what did you mean?"

"That it's not _me_ she should be worrying about."

"If only we had the time for that now. But I've got to be getting home, and I'm sure you do too. So that lovely body of yours will have to wait."

Katsura smiled. "Yeah, I know… Perhaps you could get an early start to school tomorrow?"

"Before school? Wouldn't that be a bit more…noticeable?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right… I have phys. ed. first period, so I could easily change out there, but I suppose I'd still have to wear my uniform to homeroom first. Also…there's the matter of getting a spare into my gym locker…"

"Eh?"

"I've got regular clothes with me. The ones you helped me pick out on my birthday." Katsura was already leading Suki back into the locker room. "And I believe you said you wanted to undress me?" It wasn't long before Katsura was naked from the waist up. "Whoa, oneesama, calm down! This is supposed to be the 'pressed' uniform! You're going to mess up my skirt!"

Suki eased up and gently removed Katsura's skirt and stockings, teasing at the younger girl's mound as she lay on a bench. "Better?"

"M-much."

"Why so shy again all of a sudden? Is something wrong?"

"N-nope, nothing."

"Oh…don't tell me that you don't have a change of panties?"

"That I don't," Katsura said, as the ones she was wearing started to moisten—just with sweat for the moment, but other fluids would soon follow.

Suki straddled her partner, grinding on the girl's pelvic area as she removed her top. "You're such a bad girl."

"Don't you know it."

"Nothing like the sweet little innocent thing I remember first harboring such illicit desires for."

"Sweet, yes. Innocent, never."

Suki was just about to remove her panties when she was interrupted. "Hey, Suki-chan, I really need to get this place locked up and turn the keys in to coach."

"Ah…sorry, Rioni-sempai!"

"Geez, why do you like to use the locker room for your illicit rendezvous, anyway? Surely there are better places."

"You can't blame me for last year. I was just a first-year, and I was dating the team captain."

"Yeah…that's what I'm worried about. You really don't seem to have much in the way of leadership qualities."

"Is that a problem?"

"…Not necessarily. But if past trends continue, you're likely next year's captain."

"You think so?"

"You'll have to ask your girlfriend—_ex_-girlfriend if the trend continued back to _her_ first year, but I'm at least the third straight captain that's, well, less than completely Japanese." (CCX: I originally put a note about this after the surname was first revealed, but this line made it unnecessary. Even though there's nothing in the name that _can't_ be Japanese, as a whole it sounds kind of Italian.)

"Sounds a bit like racial stereotyping to me."

"Well, we'll know when it comes time to vote on a captain for next year. Because at the moment you haven't got it on merit."

"That was cruel," Katsura said after they'd parted ways with the captain.

"It was the truth. Personally, I don't even care about being team captain next year. Yeah, I guess it would be kind of cool to follow in Arisa's footsteps, but…I don't know. Sometimes I think I only even ended up in this sport because of my height. I don't _regret_ it, because without it I wouldn't have met Ari-chan…and by extension, might never have realized that I liked girls as well, lest you think that I'm just pining over an old love."

"I'm cool with you talking about her. You can't just stop having feelings for her altogether just because there's someone you like even more, can you?"

Suki shook her head. "Thanks for understanding."

* * *

><p>*(probably) February 14*<p>

* * *

><p>CCX: Why probably? Because I've been trying to avoid pinning down a specific year for this fic—that's why I've usually only given the month, and avoided setting an exact date for Tanabata. Now, there have been <em>some<em> hints. In Chapter 28, I set both January 7 and January 8 as school days, so we can rule out any year that starts on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday…no, wait, actually Saturday's still in play, because there actually is school on Saturdays in Japan. I also set both February 14 and 15 as school days _last_ year, which…hm. Let's see if we can figure this out.

January 1 was not a Sunday or a Monday, so February 14 is not a Tuesday or a Wednesday. The previous February 14 was not a Saturday or a Sunday, so this February 14 is not a Monday and can only be a Sunday if the previous year was a leap year. So we've actually ruled out…15 years out of any given 28-year cycle. That's kind of more than I had hoped. If we assume that it's somewhere in the new millennium (which we should because at the very least, cell phones seem to have reached their current level of ubiquity)… that would put us in one of these years (or some number that exceeds them by a multiple of 28): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025, or 2026.

Well, I guess that's still vague enough. The "most likely" candidates would probably be 2004 (with the assumption that StrikerS is set in the year that it aired) and 2013 (which works with the assumption that A's is set in the year _it_ aired, and would also set the very beginning of this fic in the end of 2011, which was when I started writing it), but yeah, it still plays loosely enough.

* * *

><p>"I just want to stress that all of this is giri-choco, nothing more," Suzuka said, having made chocolates for everyone in her class.<p>

"You got us chocolates, too?" one of the girls asked.

"It's only fair."

"I do hope you remembered to include me in that count as well, Tsukimura-san."

"_Oops."_ "Of course I did, Nitamura-sensei!" _"Lucky that Chura-san's absent today."_

"Good girl."

Unfortunately for Suzuka, Chura _wasn't_ outright absent, just extremely late. Late enough, at least, that class was already well underway and Suzuka wouldn't be able to give him his chocolate right away anyway, so Nitamura wouldn't know that Suzuka _had_ forgotten about her and covered it by giving her the chocolate meant for Chura.

"Geez, where were you this morning? You missed out on iincho-san's giri-choco," Nitodaki said as Class 1-A headed off for lunch.

"Missed out?"

"Yeah, sorry…I'll make it up to you. I was giving it out to everyone, both boys and girls, but then Sensei asked if I'd included her in my count and since you weren't here I lied and said I had," Suzuka explained.

"Don't worry about it. The last thing I need at the moment is more chocolate."

"You got a lot of chocolates?"

"No…just one very large one. That's why I was late; it was too big for me to even fit in my locker. I had to detour home to drop it off."

"Wow. I've made some serious honmei-choco before, but never one so large it wouldn't even _fit_ in a school locker." _"Though maybe I should have. I think the chocolate I gave to Arisa this year might not have been as good as last year's."_

"Yeah, Mai-tan's such a sweetheart. I haven't tried it yet, though…I'm kind of afraid that maybe it'll turn out she's actually a horrible cook, and I'll be stuck with this gigantic chocolate that's completely awful."

"Mai…I thought you were going to break it off with Aoba-san."

"I never said that. I just said I'd have to confront her with what I learned."

"Again, _policeman's daughter._"

"What can I say? I like that she's a rebel."

Suzuka sighed. This was going nowhere.

"So, I don't get a honmei-choco?" Kanna teased.

"No, you don't. I only made one honmei-choco this year, and I'm sure you know who that was for." _"Also one _**extremely** _extravagant giri-choco."_

"Yeah. You gave it to her this morning before school?"

"A couple of days ago, actually. Better to keep it on the down-low that way."

"I don't get you. You seem to have embraced your lesbianism, but you're still trying to act straight in public."

"Just…leave it, okay? Hey sw—Arisa," she said, nearly slipping up.

"Like I said, you really should just come out of the closet."

"So, Suzu-chan, you think you can win the chocolate battle this year?"

"Which battle is that?"

"Why, giving me the best honmei-choco, of course. I doubt that Yagumi-sempai's will measure up, especially since our relationship was always mostly physical anyway, but from what I hear, Suki-tan's been practicing." (CCX: Oh, surely you remember Yagumi Miura, right? Well, okay, surely you don't remember that name, because I only just made it up now, but she was mentioned indirectly in Chapter 13. I think she's also the first named character that's currently a third-year in high school, which is interesting because the just-introduced Rioni is the only current third-year _junior_ high student in this story thus far—just about everyone else is either a first- or second-year in junior high or a first- or second-year in high school, with the exception of Natsume who's still in elementary school.)

"You giving anyone chocolates today?"

"Nah, I've been enough of an _homme_ that I'm pretty much completely tied to White Day now."

"While I'm still doing nothing but receiving, then. It must be interesting having to be on both ends, like Suki-chan."

"Both ends?"

"Well, even though she was definitely the _femme_ when paired with you, I can't imagine her taking the same role with Himiya-chan."

"_-chan_?"

"She's still small enough to deserve it. The little one is a -tan."

"Fair enough."

"Of course, something tells me her best chocolate of the day won't be a honmei at all. Sucks to be Himiya-chan."

"Suzuka-chan…"

"I consider Suki-chan to be a very close friend now. We've…certainly gotten close, and as such, she deserves only the best giri-choco I have to offer."

"Better than the one you made for Kan-chan?"

"I didn't even get a special one. She gave the entire class giri-choco, and they were all the same."

"Yep."

"Is it a bribe to keep her away from me?"

"Now why would I want that? More like a bribe to keep me in the loop."

"Right. I'll inquire about having Suki gauge Katsura-san's openness to a foursome," Arisa said dryly.

"Thanks," Suzuka smiled, "You're the best." And she gave Arisa a quick kiss.

"…You know that that kiss is going to start the rumor mill up again, right, Suzu-chan?" Kanna asked.

"Yep. I'm okay with that. I don't even mind I people start thinking I might go both ways."

"You _don't_ go both ways."

"Details."

* * *

><p>"My turn to show up at your game," Suki said. The game hadn't started yet. "Good luck." She presented Arisa with her honmei-choco.<p>

"I'm surprised Himiya-chan let you out of her grasp, today of all days," Suzuka said.

"While it isn't exactly a huge secret that Himiya-san is more than just her biggest fan, in the public eye Suki-chan's still _my_ girlfriend."

"Oh. Didn't see you there, Hayama-san."

Tatsuke sweatdropped. "Of course not."

"Anyway, Suki-chan, you're my friend too now, so I made a giri-choco for you as well."

"That's…mighty extravagant-looking for a giri-choco. Would this by any chance be a bribe to keep me away from Arisa-chan?"

"Funny, Arisa asked the same thing when she found out my intentions. But no; it's just a reminder not to forget about me."

"I doubt Katsu-tan would be open to a foursome. Tatsu-kun probably would,"—Tatsuke nodded that this was correct—"but I doubt that either of you two would care much for that."

"Damnit, why does everyone assume I'm not bisexual?" Suzuka asked, perhaps a bit too loudly. Were this a comedy, there would've been a lull in the crowd noise at this point, but it isn't, and there wasn't.

"Because you're so natural in bed with a woman."

"All part of being a domestic goddess."

"We'll just see about that… Oh, fuck this is good. If you would embrace your homosexual side, you could have women falling all over you, because chocolate is the best way to a girl's heart."

"I thought that was diamonds."

"You can't drizzle liquid diamonds all over your naked body."

"Kinky. You sure you can't—wait, how are you and Arisa on the same wavelength like that?"

"Huh?"

"The foursome comment. I had that exact same conversation with Arisa-chan at lunch today. She asked if that chocolate was a bribe to keep you away from her, and I said it was more like a bribe to keep me in the loop, and she said she'd make a note to ask you to gauge Himiya-chan's openness to a foursome."

"Well if you covered yourself in nothing but chocolate I'm sure you'd be able to convince her. Though it probably wouldn't be a foursome—she and Hanna-chan are very close, especially where feats of perversion are involved, so I'm sure she'd manage to give her some licks as well."

"I thought Watagami-san was allegedly totally straight," Tatsuke said.

"True. She'd probably prefer a hot guy covered in chocolate."

"Will you lay off with the chocolate?" Suzuka asked.

"But I like chocolate!"

"Of course you do. …Did I upstage Himiya-chan?"

"Eh?"

"Is my chocolate the best?"

"…It would be a disservice to your chocolate to merely say 'yes'. Katsu-tan's not exactly skilled in the kitchen. But…yes, yours is the best I've had in the past couple of days, including when I was testing my own chocolate."

"It's better than yours?" Tatsuke asked incredulously. "I don't believe it. Let me try."

"No way! This is all mine!" Suki said.

"Well, then, I refuse to believe it's better than yours."

"You can still taste it." She gave her boyfriend a long, sloppy kiss, allowing the taste of chocolate in her mouth to permeate his. "So?"

"Well, that's not fair. Yeah, that was tasty, but it had _you_ mixed in. And we all _know_ how sweet _you_ are." Suki grinned mischievously.

Suzuka couldn't help but laugh at the exchange. _"So _that_'s how they're still together in spite of all of the girl drama Suki-chan goes through."_

* * *

><p>CCX: Okay, I think that's all, although I feel like there ought to have been more to this Valentine's Day.<p>

CC: Oh, there will be more. Although…the presence of afterschool activities probably rules out Saturday as well.

CCX: …Not necessarily. Saturday afternoon games would actually make perfect sense. Cyberchao X, signing off.


	30. Chapter 30

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: We're on the 30th chapter; I think the message has sunk in.

Chapter 30

*still February 14*

"So why the gigantic chocolate? I had to detour home because I wouldn't be able to fit that in my locker."

"Ah, I'm sorry, Shun…I guess I went a bit overboard," Mayu said.

"Surely you couldn't have gotten _that_ one over on your parents."

"W-well, they _do_ know that there's an older boy that I like…but not that he likes me back, or that he's _already _in high school."

"My little delinquent." He scooped her up into a kiss.

"What, just because I'm sort of seeing someone behind my parents' backs?"

"'_Sort of'_ seeing?"

"Well, it's not like we can really go out on dates…"

"…You busy?"

Mayu smiled. "Nope."

* * *

><p>"…You've been avoiding sweets. Did I mess up?"<p>

"Not at all. Rather, I'm avoiding sweets now _because_ I've got a giant Valentine's Day chocolate waiting for me at home," Chura reassured her.

"…Why are you doing this?"

"What?"

"I'm being completely foolish, trying to date a high schooler in my first year of junior high. And you're letting me go on like this."

Chura gently stroked her hair and kissed her on the head. "I'm not just humoring you, Mai-tan. I really do like you."

"Hanna-chan says the only reason a high school boy would want someone so young is so they can take advantage of them."

"That's ridiculous. Well, okay, yeah, maybe some guys, but we're not all like that. Besides, I don't think you'd just take it lying down. …That came out wrong."

Mayu laughed. "I think she was referring to emotions, not pure force."

"I know. Yeah, I guess you can handle yourself physically, too, but you're definitely too willful to be taken advantage."

"That sounded like an insult…"

"It wasn't meant to be."

"I know."

"I _would_ like to be more than just 'sort of seeing you', though."

Mayu wrapped her arms around Chura. "I'd love that… but…"

"Would that still be a problem? It's been long enough that there's no reason to connect me to that party…"

"But that would only bring up more questions as to where I met you."

"…True."

"So then why _do_ you like me?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You're obviously not dating me, or trying to date me, because you think I'm an easy score. So why _are_ you dating a 13-year-old? Are you perhaps more pathetic than you look, and can't get a girlfriend in high school?"

"W-what?!"

Mayu smiled. "Those girls don't know what they're missing."

"That's not it. Probably. Y'know, most of the time, it's the guy who asks the girl out."

"…So you've never _tried_ asking anyone out?"

"I asked you out."

"Besides me."

"…Not many. I asked Tsukimura-san out at the start of the year, but so did every other boy in our class, and a good many from the other first-year classes as well."

"She's not _that_ pretty."

"Well, it's more than just looks. She carries herself like, well, someone of high class. Which she apparently is."

"Oh, right, that was her family holding that party. Nice mansion."

"But no one's really caught my eye. You did."

Mayu blushed. "R-really? I'm not…I'm nothing special."

"Don't be so modest. It doesn't suit you."

"You'd rather I be stuck-up?"

"I'd rather you be _confident._ You've got a very mature demeanor as well, and you seem like a bright girl. You could be going places, too."

"I thought you liked me because I was rebellious."

"You? Rebellious? I thought you were a good girl!" Chura mocked.

Mayu snuggled up against him. "The best."

* * *

><p>*another day in February*<p>

"What's got you down, Shu-kun?" Nitodaki asked.

"Trying to figure out how to make it work with Mai-tan. We can't really do much in the way of dating because she doesn't want her parents to find out that she's dating a high schooler."

"You probably could get a date just fine if you tried. Why are you going after this _kid_?"

"She's…very mature for her age."

"Oh? Developed early?"

"I don't mean physically. I just enjoy being with her. She's very sweet, and smart. Speaking of sweets…I've been brushing my teeth twice as frequently ever since Valentine's Day thanks to her."

"Your girlfriend's chocolate turned out nicely?"

"Nichi-san?" (CCX: I didn't even realize until I looked over the list of OCs and saw that there was a name on the list in between Chiharu Keigo and Kyusai Gabi that the female student in Class 1-A that first speaks in chapter 21 _had_ received a name upon her initial appearance, even though she was never referred to by it.) "Yeah, it's good."

"Th-that's good. I'd hate to think you missed out on iincho-san's giri-choco for nothing."

"Case in point," Nitodaki said.

"What?" Nichi asked.

"N-nothing, Nichi-san. Don't pay any attention to him."

"I-I wasn't going to…" She blushed.

"I swear…how dense can he be?" Nitodaki muttered.

"You're one to talk."

"What was that, Shinamori?"

Kanna pulled him aside. "He's not oblivious to her feelings; he just doesn't feel the same way about her. Or any of the other girls in our year, apparently. This is his decision, y'know?"

"He could easily get a girl if he wanted to."

"Well, maybe not everyone just wants to get 'a girl'. Obviously Chura-san has some standards. Not like it takes very high standards to need something better than Nichi-chin."

"Kanna-chan, I thought you'd resolved to stop being such a bitch," Suzuka interjected.

"…You know, if you don't see why he doesn't like her, maybe _you_ should ask her out. I'm sure she'd accept."

"…I _have_ a girlfriend."

"And I don't see what you don't like about Nichi-san," Suzuka said.

"Oh, there's nothing offensive about her. She's…harmless."

"…In other words, you think she's a loser. I thought you'd stopped being so judgmental."

"I've become more open-minded. I'm starting to even consider Ichirei-san a _friend_."

"I'm not surprised that you two get along, actually…" _"She's lightened up quite a bit, but even when she isn't angry at the world, she can still be pretty bitchy herself. She's not _mean-spirited_, though."_

* * *

><p>"Hey. You seem distracted. What's on your mind?"<p>

"Hey, Haru-chan. One of my friends is having girl problems. He can't be with the girl he wants to be with because her parents probably won't approve of her dating a high schooler, and there's a girl in our class who obviously likes him whom I'm trying to get him to notice, but apparently according to our class's alpha bitch, anyone with any kind of standards wouldn't bother with this girl and I don't see what the problem is. I mean, she's not as smart or as pretty as _you_, but…"

"Why are you making this your problem? This isn't your problem," Kaminari replied. (CCX: Yeah, usually I go with "name introduced by—name referred to in narration", but when the character who's doing the introducing is a third-stringer themselves, you're pretty much stuck on last name basis. Nitodaki's girlfriend's full name is Kaminari Haruko.)

"You're right. It isn't."

"It's almost the end of the school year, though. Can't he just wait until April?"

"She's…not a third-year."

"Ah. That's a bit tougher, then."

* * *

><p>"So…how was it?"<p>

"How was what?" Suki asked.

"Th-the chocolate. It's okay; you can be honest with me," Katsura said.

"It was…the best honmei-choco I got this Valentine's Day."

"…So then you're not getting anything from Arisa-san until White Day?"

"…"

"That's disappointing, though. You specified honmei-choco, which probably means that the overall best of the year was a giri-choco."

"In name only. There was nothing subtle about that gift."

"…I guess that's to be expected. Why should I be the only fan to outright fall in love with you?"

"No, it…it wasn't another member of my 'fan club'. And that would be honmei."

"Don't tell me Arisa-san's downgraded you."

"No, but you're getting close. It was actually Suzuka-chan. It was…quite impressive. I like to fancy myself fairly good at this, but I taste-tested my own work and it's nothing compared to hers."

"…And that's to be considered an 'in name only' giri? Was there…something going on while you and Arisa-san were together?"

"…That's right; you weren't actually there when Hanna-chan tricked Arisa-chan into letting Tatsu-kun find out about our threesome."

"…No, I wasn't. When was this?"

"At the Christmas party. Arisa got her back later that night; you most certainly _were_ there for _that_."

Katsura thought back to the party in question. "Yeah, except that amounted to nothing, so I think she got a raw deal."

"Well, Tatsu-kun got over it, so now everything's fine."

"…It's weird. You'd think that being bisexual and having a girlfriend who's also bisexual, it would be the perfect setup for a threesome, but…I'd feel awkward if the three of us did that. And I don't think Hayama-sempai would really be comfortable with it, either."

"Hmm…you certain that you're bi?"

"How far are you willing to let me go to test it out?" Katsura replied. "Because there are some boys whom I've gotten a bit closer to lately, and I'm sure they'd be happy to let me get even closer…"

"I'd be a hypocrite to say no…but the idea of sharing you still bothers me."

"Well, it's not like I'd do _that_…"

"…I …guess so. It really would only be fair, unless I were to break up with Tatsu-kun and become yours alone."

* * *

><p>"You didn't <em>actually<em> suggest a foursome to her, did you?" Arisa asked.

"I thought you wanted me to do that," Suki replied. "But no, I didn't…though, the topic of threesomes sort of did come up. I told her that I considered Suzu-chan's chocolate to be giri 'in name only', and she managed to figure out the threesome thing on her own. Then she remarked on how odd it was that she _wasn't_ interested in bringing up the idea of a threesome to Tatsu-kun, since she's bi too. But…even without asking, I'm going to have to say that it's probably not going to happen."

"I figured as much."

"No, you didn't…because it's not about her feelings. It's about mine. Even knowing that she was _never_ as innocent as she appeared, my initial feelings towards her haven't changed. I don't want to share her, and…I'm considering exclusivity. _Complete_ exclusivity."

"R-really? You'd break up with Tatsuke-san over what to him would be absolutely nothing?"

"I'd be a hypocrite if I demanded exclusivity from Katsu-tan without practicing it myself."

"Well, if you're looking for support, you're not going to get it from me. I think you're making a big mistake here."

"Of course you do. You'd be losing out."

"I'm with Arisa on this one. By the way, how much influence do you have over your flock, anyway?"

"What are you getting at?"

"The aftereffects of your followers' appearance at my New Year's party are still being felt."

"Tell us something we _don't_ know," Arisa said.

"I'm not talking about Suki-chan's decision to kiss Himiya-chan instead of you or Hayama-san at midnight. I don't want to directly interfere in a relationship that I have no stake in—well, not on the breaking up end; I suppose I did sort of interfere to help get Miki-chan and Izei-kun together—but given the circumstances that got them together in the first place…"

"Huh. Now that I think about it, I have seen less of Mayu-chan the past couple of months. So she's been seeing one of your friends?"

"Something like that. I invited my whole class, because I'm class rep, so it's not necessarily someone I'm _that_ close with, but by the same token, being class rep, I'm sort of friends with everyone."

"So what about the circumstances?"

"The three of them got in there because Aoba-chan stowed away in her father's police car."

"Oh. Yeah, that could make having a real relationship tough. Does he know?"

"Yes. That much, I told him."

"Well, I agree; it's not our place to interfere. Though, keeping it a secret from her parents could only make things worse when the truth does come out… Do you know if it's a secret on both sides?"

"What?"

"They're obviously keeping this a secret from her parents. What about his?"

"…No, I don't know."

"Well, I don't really know what I could do. They're their own people."

"Yeah, I figured as much."

* * *

><p>CCX: …I have no idea where this is going. Hopefully next chapter will be a bit meatier. CCX, signing off.<p> 


	31. Chapter 31

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Disclaimer: Still necessary despite this fic being heavily dominated by OCs.

Chapter 31

*early March*

"Hmm? I don't recognize this number, but it looks like it's from around here," Arisa said, answering her phone. "Hello?"

"Arisa-san?"

"…How'd you get this number, Katsura-san?"

"I kind of looked in Suki-san's phone. Can we talk?"

"Aren't we doing that now?"

Katsura laughed nervously. "I think I'd rather talk about this face-to-face. I…need some advice."

"I've never been much good at giving advice myself, but I happen to be with someone who's quite good at it. I believe you already know where her house is?"

"I don't want to…oh. You're talking about _your_ girlfriend, not mine. Y-yeah, I think I remember where it is…I really wanted to just talk with you, but I guess that's okay."

"Okay. See you in a bit."

"What was that all about?"

"Something's on Katsura-san's mind. And it sounds like she doesn't want to talk to Suki-tan about it."

"That's…worrying."

Katsura arrived a bit later. "You're still close with Suki-san, right?" Immediately the fact that she was calling Suki by name rather than "Sempai" or "Oneesama" struck Arisa.

"Er…"

"I didn't mean physically, although I wouldn't blame you if you were. I meant… Um, how does she feel about me?"

"You're asking _me_ that? You know how crazy she is about you. She's head over heels."

"Yeah…I definitely sensed some reluctance when she gave me permission to check if I was really bi…like she only let me do it because she had a boyfriend as well."

"That's… yeah, pretty much. I probably shouldn't say this, but…she was considering making things exclusive with you. I told her I couldn't support her decision, and as far as I know, she hasn't broken it off with Tatsuke-san yet."

"That's what I was afraid of."

"…Himiya-chan?" Suzuka said supportively.

"I think…maybe it was just a phase. I don't think I'm really attracted to girls at all. But…I do love Sempai, and I don't want to break her heart like that."

"I'm at a loss for advice here. I've got no experience with this one."

"Some help you are, Suzu-chan," Arisa teased.

"I'm a coward. I was afraid to confess to her, and now I'm afraid to break up with her."

"Then don't."

"But…I can't live a lie. I'm not bi, or a lesbian."

"I don't think that's quite true. Suki's a rarity as far as bisexuals go, liking both guys and girls pretty much equally. Most have a preference. Some, like my Suzu-chan, have a strong homosexual preference. Others prefer the opposite sex but also like their own, and I think that's where you fit in. But that's still going to be a problem…eventually."

"You're not exactly helping her either, Arisa," Suzuka pointed out.

"Shut up! I said I wasn't good at this!"

"You're right. Eventually, it'll cause problems. I should just bite the bullet. Can you…can you invite her over here?"

"…Why here?"

"She should have someone there when I break it to her. Someone who can…give her what she needs."

"Just what are you suggesting?" Arisa said, knowing the answer.

"Heh. It's not like it would be your first time."

"Done," Suzuka said.

"What did you tell her?" Katsura asked, concerned.

"Just that there would be chocolate."

"A lie."

"A deception. I don't usually share my imported chocolates, but I could make an exception for a close friend who's about to get her heart broken—as long as she doesn't try to turn them into human fondue."

"'Human fondue'?" Arisa asked.

"You were busy playing basketball. Suki-chan had some…interesting ideas as to how I could apply my talents for baking chocolate after she tried the one I made for her."

* * *

><p>"So what's this about chocolate?"<p>

"Later."

"…Katsu-tan? What are you doing here?" Suki rushed forward to embrace Katsura. "Not that I mind one bit. It feels like you've been avoiding me lately. Oh, did these girls talk you into a foursome?"

"Ah, I…no, they didn't…though…maybe that sounds kind of nice…"

"Katsura-san, wasn't there something you wanted to tell Suki?" Arisa asked.

"Oooh…yeah. Yeah, there was. It's kind of hard to focus when you're getting a boob facial," Katsura replied. Suki grinned. "I feel like maybe you're making too much of this."

"Huh?"

"I think…I still prefer boys."

"…Are…Are you breaking up with me?"

"I-I don't know…I really do love you, honestly! But I don't think I feel the same way about you that you do about me."

"…You really are a bitch. You break up my last relationship _and_ help her find someone else right away, and then you can't even stick around for more than a couple of months."

"…Yeah, I am a bitch. I never meant for this to happen. But…" Katsura could say no more as she was again engulfed by Suki's voluptuous body.

"Suki-chan…would you like that chocolate now? I may have misled you a bit, because there isn't any of my homemade chocolate, but…I'm willing to share some of my fancy foreign chocolates. I don't normally do that, but…I figured you'd need something to cheer you up."

"N-no, I couldn't…"

"Hey."

"…Ka—Himiya-chan?"

"Don't. Don't treat me like that. I'm not going anywhere."

"Mm?"

Katsura pulled Suki down to her level and frenched her. "I love you. That hasn't changed."

"B-but you…"

"Yeah. Yeah, I prefer boys…but you felt something, didn't you? That…that meant something. I…I still want to be with you. The way I feel when I'm with you…" (CCX: Feel free to start playing "Every Time We Touch—either version, though up-tempo songs are more my style.)

"Thank you… I know it's selfish of me to want you all to myself…"

"No it isn't. Monogamous relationships are _normal_," Arisa interjected.

"Yeah, but not at our age. There's nothing normal about my love life."

"So…wanna do something else abnormal?" Katsura said, trying to lighten the mood. "That foursome sounds pretty nice right now."

"Seriously?"

"If you think you can bear sharing."

"…I'll manage."

"Okay, that was _not_ part of the plan," Suzuka said.

"Don't worry about it, ojousama. You won't be disturbed…and your secret's safe with me."

"…How long have you been standing there, Farin-san?"

"I just arrived as your young friend was suggesting the foursome."

"…Sometimes I forget that you're no longer the clumsy and inept maid that you were when you first got here."

"Thank you, ojousama."

Katsura, already halfway undressed, was wide-eyed. "Even seeing this mansion, to hear someone referred to as 'ojousama'…"

"Suzu-chan, you'd better not steal another girlfriend away from me!" Suki teased.

"You know Ari-chan's the only one for me. But I'll see if I can use my 'powers' to help keep her in your thrall."

"I don't think you winning her back over to the side of women would help me. Well, unless it freed up Ari-chan."

Katsura let her skirt fall to the ground. "You're still the only girl for me, onee-sama."

"Not exactly the best thing to say before a foursome. Just a word of advice, little one," Arisa said.

"Who are you calling 'little one'?!"

"You're the youngest and least experienced one here, and the shortest. And probably the flattest, too." She felt the pale breasts. "Not often I get to be with someone whose breasts are smaller than mine."

"Yeah…I hope I won't be a disappointment." She peeled away Arisa's tight-fitting top. "You're…quite impressive."

"I suppose my figure _would_ be quite attractive to one who also likes boys, wouldn't it?"

"You're not _that_ boyish…"

"Hard to believe that those two hated each other just a couple of months ago," Suzuka said. "Is it still bothering you to see her with someone else?"

"No, seeing those two together just turns me on. Katsu-tan hasn't even gotten to the best part yet, though," Suki replied, reaching in and unbuttoning Arisa's jeans. "My two sexy ladies."

"Always," Arisa replied, bucking against the tall blonde. Katsura craned around her to start sucking on Suki's neck.

Suzuka refused to be left out, stripping down and pressing against Katsura's back. She reached to remove the blue-and-white striped panties that broke up the flow of pale skin. Suki slapped her hand away. "Not yet. Geez, and I thought _Katsu-tan_ was eager."

With a glance at Arisa, Katsura replied, "Oh, _I'll_ show you eager." And suddenly the two pettankos turned on Suki, quickly tearing her clothes off. Each one clamped her legs around one of Suki's legs and their lips around one of her breasts.

Seeing no opposition, Suzuka removed what remained of Arisa's clothing before again attempting to free Katsura's bottom from its blue-and-white striped prison. Suki could only moan Katsura's name in protest, and Katsura had no problem with it. "Mm…such a pretty girl." She appreciatively rubbed the bare cheeks.

Suki lightly nudged Arisa off of her. "Is it…time?"

"Yeah. I'm ready."

"You didn't do it during your experimentations with boys?"

Katsura shook her head. "I still meant it when I said that that honor was yours."

"Ari-chan, Suzu-chan, if you'll allow me a moment?" They didn't need to be told twice, voraciously going chest to chest with each other.

Suki worked up a good salivation and stuck two fingers in her mouth. Wrapping her other arm around Katsura's bottom, she pushed the fingers into her slit. Suki planted kisses around the younger girl's navel as she probed the young opening. "S-Suki-chan-n-neesaMA!" Katsura moaned, then screamed, as her virginity was taken.

"Do you still feel that way? That you'd rather be with a man?"

"I d-don't know…I've never done this with a boy before…but…I wouldn't want my first time to be with anyone other than you."

"Then perhaps you picked the wrong time to be ready. In case you've forgotten, there are two other people here."

"Good point. Gushy time over," Katsura said, pushing against Arisa and taking a big handful of ass.

"Calm down, Katsu-tan. You're bleeding, remember?"

"Yes, oneesama. Clean me up?"

"Sure thing. I'm not _licking_ it up, though. I don't have a blood fetish." Suki found the tissues and started to gently wipe up the blood. Katsura whimpered contentedly at Suki's touch.

"Ready to go?"

Katsura nodded. "Yeah."

"Good," Arisa said, "because I think you're going to enjoy this."

* * *

><p>"I thought good things only happened to good people. How'd I get so lucky?" Katsura asked.<p>

"You _are_ a good person," Arisa said.

"Not bad in bed, either," Suzuka added.

"You really think? I…I'm kind of a bitch, actually. And selfish."

"_My_ bitch," Suki said, hugging her.

"I said that from the start," Arisa said.

"So, what am I supposed to do about clothes now?" Suki asked. "You two kind of ruined mine, and I can't really borrow from any of you."

"They're not _that_ ruined," Suzuka said. "Hopefully Farin-san's _sewing_ skills are among those that are now up to snuff."

* * *

><p>"Thanks for humoring me back there," Suzuka said.<p>

"I beg your pardon?" Arisa asked. Suki and Katsura had left.

"You actually told Himiya-chan that I'm bisexual, even though I know you don't really believe it."

"It made more sense to simplify," Arisa replied.

"So, how long?" Farin asked.

"Over a year now. Well, I don't know how long I've _had_ those feelings, but I first acted on them shortly before Nanoha-chan and the others left. Hayate-chan…I was very much in love with Hayate-chan. But…I loved Arisa-chan, too. And…she's the person I really want to be with."

"Yeah…I think I feel the same way about you," Arisa said.

"So why keep it a secret? Don't worry, I won't say anything, but…why hide it?"

"I don't even know anymore. I don't want to disappoint my parents…"

"Okay, first off, this is the 21st century. Who you want to be with is _your_ choice, not theirs. And besides…Ari-san is probably considerably better off than Kyou-san, if you want to think of it in those terms."

"Why should that matter?"

"It doesn't. I'm just saying, if you weren't both girls, would you have even the slightest amount of doubt?"

"…No. No, I wouldn't. I think…maybe it's time to come out of the closet."

* * *

><p>CCX: Ah, now that's more like it. Plot advancement. This was a weird chapter—at one point, it looked like it was on the verge of spinning into unexpected songfic territory, then it looked like it could go full lemon, and it ended up being lemon but not unbridled, and now…a "short" chapter, even though it's well into the seventh page. Still other plots to play with, but it would feel wrong to add those to this chapter. Until next time, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.<p> 


	32. Chapter 32

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 32

Disclaimer: Not even necessary this chapter, because no copyrighted characters appear in it.

*the next day*

"Well, you're certainly glowing today. Who's the lucky guy?" Hanna asked.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"So you _haven't_ moved on to the next stage of adulthood?"

"…I assure you that no man has breached the sanctity of my lady parts," Katsura deadpanned.

"I see. So does this mean you and sempai are back together again?"

"We never broke up in the first place. But, yeah… you could say that."

Hanna sighed. "I'm happy for you, but…I'm going to miss the two of us getting into 'trouble' together."

"…Yeah, me too. Although, maybe we can still do that… Hopefully yesterday helped oneesama get over her possessiveness over me just a bit."

"I don't follow. How would the two of you having sex make her _less_ possessive of you?"

"Who ever said it was just the two of us?"

"A threesome, then? …Wait, I thought you said that you hadn't been with a guy!"

"A foursome, and I haven't."

"…There is such a thing as maturing _too_ quickly."

"Yeah, I've been a bit concerned about that too. Perhaps a bit of flirting with older boys is just what we need. You mind if we accompany you to the high school today, Mayu-chan?"

"Actually Shun usually meets me here…high school students come by here all the time to walk younger siblings home, so his uniform doesn't stand out as much as mine would there."

"Is that even the real reason you want to go there?" Hanna asked.

"Yes. Stop insinuating otherwise. Just because I enjoyed myself yesterday doesn't lessen my attraction to boys."

"As much as I'd love to hear you go on about your dalliances with other girls, it's time for class to start," interjected the class rep, Kuwata Shirou.

"Smartass. Butt out, will you?" Hanna defended.

"Perhaps your friends need _someone_ to set a better example for them," he retorted. There was no time to carry the matter on further as class began, Hanna trying to keep her rage from boiling over.

By the time they were again free to talk, the tension had passed—more or less. "I really hope we don't end up in the same class again next year," Hanna said.

"But then you'd have to serve on Student Council _with_ him," Katsura pointed out.

"So? It's still better than having to deal with his smug face lording his status over me all the time!"

"How long has this been going on?" Mayu asked.

"Pretty much since the start of school. Obviously we didn't have the class rep thing to compete over back then, but we were always competing for the top spot in the class. And more often than not, he won."

"Well, you know what they say about hatred and love…"

"Don't even joke about that. Yeah, I'll admit that it would be nice to find a guy who's my intellectual equal and he'd fit that bill, but that's _all_ he's got going for him. And our rivalry's too deep-seated for that." (CCX: You know, it's really tempting to _not_ get them together, just because this guy has clearly been set up as a love interest for Hanna. I'm sure you can already picture this guy in your mind, because it's such a clearly established character type.)

* * *

><p>"So why aren't we going to the high school itself?" Katsura asked.<p>

"Street clothes would be just as conspicuous there as a junior high uniform," Hanna replied. "Also, we'd run the risk of running into my brother."

"Right. This is stupid; nobody just goes to places to hang out anymore. All we're going to meet here are couples. And…apparently the occasional brother-sister pair."

Hanna slapped Katsura in the back of the head. "Pay more attention. She's wearing the high school uniform, too; she's obviously older than she looks."

"She could just be one of those kid geniuses that started high school at age ten. She looks to be about my sister's age."

"She just looks young. What are you two doing here? This is really more of a place you go when you've already _got_ a boyfriend."

"That's what I told Hanna-chan. Didn't you say that your uniform would stand out too much?" Katsura asked.

"At the _school_, not here. It's not like there are color-coded bands on our uniforms denoting what year we're in, so I can pass as only one year younger to anyone who doesn't know better," Mayu replied.

"So you actually _know_ the one who looks like a little kid?"

"We've never formally met. But apparently I owe her a great debt of gratitude. I guess you do, too, since you were the reason we crashed that party in the first place."

"I don't follow."

"Well, Mai-tan told me that she got in in the back of her father's police car. He was called to the scene in the first place because of a misunderstanding that arose when another couple walked in on Kumaya-san and Ichirei-san together in a back room and mistook it for something criminal. But forgive me for not introducing myself; I'm Chura Shu," he said.

"I-I'm Himiya Katsura."

"Watagami Hanna."

"Ah, yes, I vaguely remember your name being mentioned. Something about being cynical of my intentions with Mai-tan?"

"Ah, I…we've never met; how could I have passed judgment—?"

Mayu answered, "You said that there was only one reason why a high school boy would want to be with someone our age. Which reeks of hypocrisy given that you're now here with the intention of flirting with high school boys, but that's beside the point."

"Er, that was really more of a generalization…"

"It's cool, Watagami-san. As a generalization, it's perfectly rational."

"Thanks. You seem like a decent guy, not that I really know you. We should probably finish up here and get going."

* * *

><p>*White Day*<p>

"…Shun?! What are you doing here?!"

"Why wouldn't I be here on this day? Besides, a gift like this should be delivered directly to your house." He took out a bouquet of roses. "Can I come in?"

"Uh…"

"Who are you?" her father asked.

"Forgive me for not coming forward sooner, sir, but I'd like to date your daughter. I didn't want to keep it a secret from you and your wife, but Mai-tan wasn't sure how you'd react to the idea of her dating an upperclassman. Still, after the gift I received on Valentine's Day, I couldn't keep this a secret any longer."

"Gift… ah. I do vaguely remember an overwhelming chocolate scent pervading my house when I came home from work on the thirteenth of February, more than what the chocolate my wife gave to me could produce. Mayu-chan, was that your gift to, erm, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Ah! Where are my manners?! I'm Chura Shu."

"Aoba Daisuke. Thank you for being honest about your feelings towards my daughter. If she'd been carrying on a relationship behind our backs for a long period of time, then I might be angry, especially if we only found out because something serious happened…how long have you two been seeing each other?"

"Only since January," Mayu and Chura both said.

"That's not too long. Though I am a bit disappointed that you didn't think we'd approve of your choices in boys, Mayu-chan."

"I'm sorry now that I didn't have more faith in you, father."

* * *

><p>CCX: I'm a bit disappointed that these chapters seem to be getting shorter…but I suppose we can't always have chapters as long as the "average", otherwise the average would just keep going up. And my silly insistence on keeping the exact year in which this story takes place vague prevented me from going into any more detail about that scene, since in one of the two years that I'd previously identified as "most likely", White Day would be on a Sunday, whereas in the other it would not. (The scene of Chura showing up at her house in the morning works equally well regardless of whether it's a school day or not. If it is a school day, then we are probably to assume that he's wearing a coat over his uniform, thereby preventing Cpl. Aoba from noticing that he's wearing the high school uniform. And, yes, I realize that I've already used that first name before, but it's a very common Japanese name and besides the first Daisuke in the story is unlikely to be appearing again.)<p>

CC: Why don't you just tie it to a year? By sheer luck, all previous dates that you've explicitly lined up with being a school day would still support the idea that the start of the story is in the same year that you actually started writing it. I know the idea is to avoid it becoming 'dated', but that's probably inevitable anyway.

CCX: Well, I _did_ confirm it to be the 21st century—although like I said before, the prevalence of cell phones pretty much ruled out the 20th century anyway and I'm not about to try to predict what things are going to be like in any later ones. But remember, the other year I identified as a "likely candidate" was set in the past.

CC: …Except you screwed that up eleven chapters ago when you referenced a study you'd only just recently read.

CCX: …Shit. Okay, fine, we'll assume that this is more or less present day, or rather it's currently taking place about six months in our future. Which means…

Disclaimer: Some of the characters appearing in the remainder of this chapter _aren't_ mine, unlike the characters who have appeared in it thus far.

* * *

><p>"Nice, honest boy…who wouldn't dare take his coat off and reveal a high school uniform," Mayu said after they'd left.<p>

"Honesty is overrated. And I am, in a manner of speaking, your senior."

"Except you'll never actually be at the same school as me. Did you even go to my school for junior high?"

"Nope."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Mayu-chan. Wake up."<p>

"What? I wasn't asleep."

"No, but you were daydreaming," Hanna said.

"Sorry. Shun surprised me this morning, came to my door and brought me roses."

"What happened to keeping your relationship a secret? No, don't answer me now; tell me at lunchtime."

She did. "Shun acted the perfect gentleman, said he didn't want to keep it a secret any longer and asked for forgiveness for having kept it from my parents for as long as he did, and, well, my dad seemed okay with it."

"Does he know that he's in high school already?" Katsura asked between bites.

"N-no…ah, now there's something I didn't consider. What do we do about 'graduation'?"

"Um…isn't graduation in the afternoon?" Reina asked. "B-both of your parents would b-be at work by then, so…"

"I thought it was more like late morning…but either way, my father doesn't work twelve-hour shifts anymore, so he doesn't go into the station until somewhere around 2:30."

"R-right…but, you'll find something."

"Yeah." She turned her attention elsewhere. "Geez, Katsura-san, what's with all of the chocolate?"

"You're the last person I want to hear that coming from, Mayu-chan, considering that monstrosity you made for your boyfriend last month. It's weird, you'd think more _guys_ would get chocolates for the girls who gave them chocolates on Valentine's Day, what with how well-known it is that women love chocolate."

"I've seen a fair amount of chocolates being handed out," Hanna said, "but of course, those are store-bought, because most guys don't bake."

"Well, Oneesama _does_ bake, and her chocolate is delicious! And she made mine the biggest even though I know that my chocolate wasn't the best she received last month."

"…Eh?"

"She brought all of them with her. She even let me see for myself that, yes, mine was the bigger one."

"…The other one for Bannings-san?"

"Nah, I figure she'll probably be _getting_ a gift from Arisa-san today…"

* * *

><p>"So here you go. It's not as good as yours, I'm sure, but it's the best I've got," Suki said.<p>

"Well, thank you, Suki-chan," Suzuka said, already chewing on some chocolate. "I think you're due some chocolate as well…though I'm not sure if Arisa brought your gift with her or if she was going to give it to you later. I'm sure you know where to find her."

"Yeah. Easier than finding you. I'm glad I remembered that you were Student Council."

"…Was that a junior high uniform?"

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't ogle my friends, Gasuken-san. She's already taken, anyway."

"Yeah…I think I made a mistake scheduling a meeting for White Day. Everyone's minds are _clearly_ elsewhere," said the student council president-elect, Hourai Hikari.

"You're learning, Hourai-san. It could be worse. I tried to hold a meeting on the last full day of school last year," replied the soon-to-be-graduating president, Mantako Chizuru.

"Although I do think that there are some other errors in judgment here, regarding certain council members' choices in White Day gifts for their girlfriends and/or said girls' decisions to partake in those gifts at this time."

"…Why is everyone looking at me all of a sudden?" Miki asked, pulling a rather large lollipop out of her mouth.

"Um, maybe you should've had the cherry one here, or the mint, or watermelon or, well, any one but _that_ one," Izei said. "Not that I mind watching you enjoy your gift…"

Miki stopped sucking on it again. "But the piña colada flavor is so good!"

"Yes, yes, I know. Perhaps it was my fault for getting you lollipops that large. Those things take up almost your entire mouth and, well…"

"Ah. I see how it is," she said, continuing to lick it, a bit more delicately. "The 'legal jailbait girl' is struggling to fit her mouth around something white and sticky…naturally all of the boys are going to stop and stare, right?"

"Well, the suggestive nature is quite obvious, Ichirei-san…and even more so now that you've caught on and are _actively fellating your lollipop,_" Hourai replied. "It's not so much about whether they're turned on as that someone with your, ah, youthful appearance behaving in such an _adult_ way is going to turn a few heads."

"Yeah, you're probably right, Hourai-sempai…but it's still too big for me to just pull it off of the stick and suck on it like a jawbreaker."

"Just…just be discreet about it."

* * *

><p>"You really can be such a troll sometimes, you know that, Miki-chan?"<p>

"Oh? What did Miki-san do that was so outrageous?" Kanna asked.

"I was just enjoying my White Day gift from my boyfriend," Miki said with mock offense, pushing the lollipop to the side of her mouth. It had diminished in size to the point that she didn't even need to take it out of her mouth to speak. "An assortment of gourmet lollipops. Some people just have dirty minds."

"Gourmet…those big things that take _hours_ to complete? Judging by the way you're speaking without removing it, I take it you've been working on that one for awhile…"

"Yeah. Everyone started staring, so…maybe I decided to tease them a bit."

"More than just _a bit_, Miki," Izei said.

Miki took the lollipop out of her mouth, allowing Kanna to see what color it was. "Enough to make you want something _else_ white and sticky in my mouth?"

"This is what Suzuka-chan was referring to. You're so crude."

"You didn't say no. Shall we go somewhere more private?"

Izei sighed. "Yeah, yeah…"

"I've got to admit, she's got a lot of guts. I can just picture that thing at full size, probably bulging out of her mouth."

"Down, girl."

"It's an…interesting mental image, that's all."

* * *

><p>CCX: Much better. We brought back some of the older characters, and added some new ones. I would've liked it better if I could've spelled the outgoing student council president's name "M<strong>o<strong>ntako", but that wouldn't have resulted in the right pronunciation, and I was already frustrated enough that I couldn't make a short i sound. Cyberchao X, signing off.


	33. Chapter 33

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 33

Disclaimer: No, still don't own…a couple of these characters. Man, it always seems so weird doing disclaimers for this fic when the majority of the characters are OCs. And yet, the canon is just important _enough_ to the story that I don't really feel like I could reskin it as a purely original story by renaming the two main characters who came from the canon work.

*Graduation Day*

"Hey there, Mai-chan. Brought you something."

"Shun!" She looked at the object he placed in her hand. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yep. Lucky I didn't have anyone to give mine to last year. Can't think of anyone I'd rather give it to." He wrapped his arms around her, and she jumped up to give him a kiss. "So, where to?"

"I don't know. There are so many places we could go. Oh, Hanna-chan told me about this shop that sells these great cakes…"

* * *

><p>"Oh, sempai! Imagine running into you here! Is Katsura-san here too?"<p>

"Eheheh…we don't spend _all_ of our spare time together…" Suki looked a bit sheepish. "…Actually Ari-chan and Suzu-chan invited me along."

"…Tsukimura-san is here?" Chura asked.

"Oh, you know Suzuka-chan?"

"Yeah. Don't you remember me talking to you about this? Don't worry…I know it's not my place to judge. If this is really what makes you happy, then I support you," Suzuka said.

"Um, thanks?"

Suzuka smiled. "Lighten up, Shura-san. Enjoy yourself. Besides…school's out, so technically I'm not your class rep until it's been confirmed that we'll be in the same class again next year."

"They don't really move people around that much, though, do they?" Arisa asked. "I kind of wish there was a chance we could be in the same class…"

"Y-yeah…I wish we could, too. But then again, maybe it's for the best that we aren't together all the time…"

Arisa frowned. "And why is that?!"

"Because," Suzuka whispered in her ear, "it makes our time together that much sweeter." She wanted to start making out with Arisa right on the spot, but there were people around who didn't know about their relationship, so she settled for covertly groping her lover's behind. Once they had abit more privacy, she indulged her desires. "And because I'm finding it harder to resist you."

"Then why don't you give in? Come out. There are already rumors…"

"I'll try not to do anything to prove or disprove them," Suzuka replied. "An air of mystery makes a girl more interesting, you know?"

"You seem to have eased up on the dating, though," Arisa pointed out.

"…Yeah, I have. Male or female, I don't really want other people. I want you."

Arisa turned bright red. "You're so sweet." She turned to Suki. "I may just have to find out what these 'ideas' of yours about chocolate are."

"Eh?"

"Suzuka mentioned that you had some interesting ideas involving chocolate."

Suki licked her. "I think you already had a pretty good idea, given the way you phrased that."

"So I did. Definitely approve the idea of eating chocolate off of Suzuka's luscious body."

"What about _my_ body?" Suki asked, offended.

"Don't you have Katsura-chan for that?"

"…Yeah, I suppose. But then I'd have to make the chocolate."

"Well if I was the one licking you off, it would still have to be your…I'm not finishing that sentence."

"You're disgusting, Ari-chan."

"Yeah, but you're so perfect that you probably shit rainbows and butterflies."

"…What."

Suzuka was giggling. "Well, I made Suzu-chan laugh, so it's all good," Arisa said.

"Do you…really see me that way?"

"Well, yeah, kind of."

"I'm not perfect, Arisa. I have my flaws. I have issues with monogamy, as you've experienced."

"Your problem is that you love too much. That's not a problem."

"That's far from my only flaw. I don't have any drive…do you know when the last time we had a captain with no foreign ancestry was?"

"…Huh? You mean on the basketball team?"

"Yeah. Rioni-sempai told me that the captain in her first year was only half-Japanese too, and I looked into old yearbooks…the captain your first year was an exchange student, not Japanese at all. And the captain the year before that was likewise of mixed heritage, and _her_ first year, the captain was her older sister, with another exchange student sandwiched between them. This year will be the first time in almost a decade that the captain is of fully Japanese ancestry."

"I'm so sorry…I didn't even think about that…"

"Don't be. I didn't really care whether I got the captaincy or not. I don't think basketball was ever really my 'thing' in the first place—I just sort of got pushed into it because I'm so tall. I don't regret joining the team, but…it's more because of memories of you that I've stayed with it. So I think this might be my final year."

Arisa hit her. "Idiot. You don't have to stick it out through _all_ of high school if you don't want, but you'd stop after graduating junior high, when we could actually be teammates again for a year if you went out for the high school team?"

"Ah, well…still, why'd you have to punch me?"

"You were asking for it."

Suki laid some money on the table and left. "I'm going to go find Katsu-tan. _She_ treats me right."

"So, now that it's just the two of us…"

"Did you seriously do that just to get rid of her?"

"No, of course not! I didn't really want to start a fight with her. But I was going to ask her to give us some alone time after we finished our food anyway, so this ended up just speeding things along. And I can tell she wasn't _really_ mad at me. Her voice was more teasing than anything else as she stormed out."

"Still, it was weird seeing you two fighting."

"Eh, it happens. Besides, we weren't exactly the best of friends the first time we met, remember?"

"And then you got into a fight with Nanoha…" A loud sigh reminded Suzuka that the two of them were far from the only ones in the place who missed Nanoha immensely. She apologized to Momoko for bringing it up. (CCX: Oh, c'mon, like you didn't already know that they were at the Midoriya?)

* * *

><p>CCX: Um…I've got nothing for how to advance the main plot without skipping ahead to the start of the next school year (how long <em>is<em> the spring break in Japan, anyway?), so we're going to head over to some side characters who aren't really doing anything plot-relevant.

* * *

><p>"Thank you for allowing me to join you on your vacation, Ichirei-san," Izei said, bowing respectfully to him.<p>

"Think nothing of it," he replied. "Miki-chan would probably be quite cross with me if I didn't."

"Why do I doubt that making me happy was your only motivation?" Miki asked her father.

"Lighten up, oneechan," Sakura told her sister. "Papa _is _happy that you've found someone willing to look past your overly youthful exterior to love you for who you are. Any other benefits of his presence in the vicinity of ours are just secondary. Right?" Their father pretended not to know what Sakura was talking about, but they all knew the truth—that he was hoping that the presence of a boyfriend would make people think that his _younger_ daughter was already taken, since most strangers would assume her to be the older of the two. Indeed, Sakura looked to be at _least_ as old as Miki actually was, while Miki still didn't even look as old as her younger sister's actual age.

"Well, as long as being your fake boyfriend doesn't involve any lovey-dovey stuff."

"What? You don't think I'm attractive?"

"That's irrelevant. You're Miki-chan's sister."

"So if she wasn't my sister you _would_ find her attractive?" Miki asked.

"Well, yeah… maybe. It's tough to say, because a lot of the traits that make Sakura-chan physically attractive are your traits too, so if she weren't your sister, she might not have them."

"Okay, now you're just making shit up."

"Am not, although you just displayed _one_ of the areas where she has the advantage over you—her ladylike demeanor," Izei said snidely. "Once you get past the fact that she managed to start developing before you even though you had a three-year head start, the two of you have very similar features."

"…If you say so." She walked off.

"…Did I hit a nerve?"

"Yeah. Lately oneesan has been having trouble looking straight at me. I tried to find out why, but she just yelled at me, said that it wasn't anything I did and that I should just leave it. …" Sakura paused. "I was only three years old when my mother died, so I don't have that many memories of her. And we don't keep pictures of her around the house, because they bring up too many bad memories for my father and sister. I'd even forgotten just what she looked like… I tracked down my parents' wedding album…it was a very familiar face, and body. Not exactly like, but quite similar to, what I see in the mirror every day."

"I see. So by comparing her to you, I was also comparing her to her mother. I'll go apologize to her."

"No, I'll go talk to her. We've gotten past this, after all. Besides, I know where to look."

"Okay, yeah, you do that. I'll be out in a little bit." Izei was actually glad that Sakura had volunteered to go after Miki. "Miki told me the whole story. I hope you don't mind…Sorry, I guess that's probably not something you'd want many people knowing about you."

"Hm?"

"Your late ex-wife. Everything. Even…even the part that the two of you have kept from Sakura."

"Oh. Yeah, she probably should've told me before revealing _that_ part of the story. But…that's quite a display of trust. I figured that if you two were together for a long enough period of time, eventually Sakura-chan or I would end up having to tell you that story…though of course, Sakura-chan's version would've lacked one part. She's lucky that she _was_ too young to remember everything about it. But… really, can you blame Miki-chan for being the way she is about that? What she went through…losing a parent to those circumstances, seeing another parent ready to commit suicide…that's rough for _anyone_ to handle. And she had to deal with that at the age of six. Maybe that's why she can't quite fully grow up."

"That's crazy. Miki-chan's growing up just fine. Her body may be taking a little while to catch up, but it's slowly happening."

"…Just how involved _are_ you two, anyway?"

"Involved enough. For me, anyway. I get the feeling she wants us to be more involved, but I think she's just raging against her lack of endowments."

"Yeah, that's always a sensitive topic. Even more so now that Sakura-chan's been growing."

* * *

><p>"Sorry for running off," Miki said. "Besides, that type of stuff is meaningless, right? We're our own people, and genetics can't be helped. But just because I may have taken on some of her physical traits doesn't mean I'm going to turn out like her."<p>

"Of course you won't. You're a good person, Miki. That's why I love you." He ran his fingers through her long midnight hair and kissed her, and her only response was to draw him closer because she felt better when she was in his embrace.

* * *

><p>CCX: Yeah…in my attempts to avoid being one of those authors who lavishes tons of words on descriptions, I often go too far in the other direction, waiting many chapters after introducing characters to give them a physical description, if I ever do at all. Miki, of course, at least got some physical description right away, because her diminutive size is an important character trait, but I waited until just now to mention a hair color—midnight, or "a black so dark that it looks blue when light hits it at a certain angle" (thanks, TV Tropes)—and I still haven't mentioned an eye color (because I haven't decided on one, though I know that it's a dark color). These are among the traits that she and her sister share, by the way, and both are traits that their mother had and their father doesn't. (Though of course, he has dark hair and dark eyes too, because light hair and eyes aren't really very Japanese traits at all.) Until next time, CCX, signing off.<p> 


	34. Chapter 34

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 34

Disclaimer: OC-heavy as it is, it's still a fanfiction.

*April*

"…Great. Kuwata-san's still in Class B," Hanna said bitterly, seeing the class assignments.

"Big deal. Let him be the Class 2-B rep. You've got bigger fish to fry."

"…Eh?"

"Hanna-chan, surely you aren't content to settle for such a low-level position, are you? You've got to set yourself up to be student council president next year," Katsura said.

"You're not suggesting…"

"Student council vice-president? I most certainly am. Suki—Sempai's going to talk to Hida-sempai about supporting you, and I'm sure you'll be plenty popular."

"I wasn't even able to beat out Kuwata-san for class rep last year. What makes you think I'll be able to win over the entire school?"

"Because you've grown since then."

"What?" Hanna suddenly noticed where Katsura's eyes were. "…Oh."

"It certainly can't hurt."

"I'm not going to exploit sex appeal to get votes."

"You don't have to. Just don't actively _downplay_ it."

"I don't know…"

"Well, you'll have your supporters on the council. I might even run for class rep myself, though I doubt I'd get it. Still, the best alternative would be just as good."

"I beg your pardon?"

Katsura nearly facefaulted. "Don't tell me you were so preoccupied with seeing if your rival was still in your class that you failed to notice that your two best friends _aren't_?"

"Wha… I could've sworn I saw your name…" She double-checked the class 2-B list. "You're not there…"

"You must've accidentally looked over one column when you thought you saw us. See, Aoba-chan and I are both in class 2-C this year. I'd be happy to serve on the council with you, but…I don't know if I'm really cut out for it."

"As a good friend, I really should tell you that of course you are…but you're right; it doesn't seem like you."

"So you don't mind? Good; I think I'll throw my support behind Aoba-chan, then."

"…I'm going to miss having you in class with me. Mayu-chan, too, but at the same time, it'll be nice to see her get a chance to shine without overachievers like Kuwata-san and me overshadowing her."

"So then you agree that she deserves to be class rep more than I do."

"…Yes."

* * *

><p>"Class 2-A looks…exactly like Class 1-A did," Kanna remarked. "Guess you'll be class rep again?"<p>

"Probably. Unless the new guy really wins everyone over."

"New guy?"

"Were you only looking to see if anyone who was in Class 1-A _wasn't _in Class 2-A? Yeah, everyone's back, but we've got 21 students this year, when last year we only had 20."

"Katakana…wait, how is that pronounced? …You're sure that's a male name?"

"Pretty sure. Why, do you think it's female?"

"No clue. It just sounds foreign to me." (CCX: Surprisingly, I had more trouble coming up with a last name for this American character than I am for the Japanese ones. Which is weird because America's such a melting pot that any name could work. But, hey, at least I still managed to throw in a "k"!) Just then a blonde boy came up to them and asked, in slightly stilted Japanese, how to get to Class 2-A. "I guess you were right, Suzu-chan."

"J-just follow me," Suzuka said, "that's my class too. You must be, um…" she tried to say this very carefully, as it contained some sounds that she wasn't used to saying, "Keith-san."

"It's—oh, uh, yes, I guess that's right." _"I forgot that calling someone by their first name is something reserved for close friends and family members here!"_

"You forgot your name?" Kanna teased. Suzuka tried not to get angry at her.

"N-no, just…in America, people usually call each other by their first—their given names"—he mentally reminded himself that the family name _did_ come first in Japanese names—"so I thought she'd gotten my name switched around. Which…sometimes happened anyway, because my last name's a first name as well."

"So would you rather I call you 'Diran'?" Kanna asked, not bothering to take the same care that Suzuka had.

"…Dylan. It's pronounced 'Dylan'."

"Isn't that what I said?"

"I'm sorry about Shinamori-san's behavior, Keith-san. She's really a good person, she just…lacks tact." Suzuka wasn't exactly the epitome of politeness herself at the moment—among other things, her gaze was a good foot short of making eye contact with Dylan. She suddenly jolted up as she realized one of those other things. "I'm sorry about my behavior, too. Normally I'd have introduced myself right away… I'm Tsukimura Suzuka. Um…i-if you're more comfortable with given names, y-you're free to call me 'Suzuka'. I-I wouldn't be offended." By this point she'd already started to turn away again, knowing there was no way she'd be able to say that without blushing. Also, they were just about at their classroom.

"Ah, Tsukimura-san. Is this our new transfer student?"

"Yes, sensei," Suzuka replied, bowing to Nitamura. "He just happened to ask the right person how to get to his class."

"…You feeling okay? Some of your classmates, I wouldn't be surprised if they were reckless over break and caught a cold or something, but you don't seem like the type."

"I'm fine, sensei."

* * *

><p>"Kanna-chan?"<p>

"Yes, Arisa-san. Suzuka-chan probably won't be joining us today. Though I'm sure you two spent plenty of time together over break," she added under her breath, so only Arisa could hear. Arisa nodded in confirmation. "She's showing the new transfer student in our class around."

"New transfer student?"

"Yep. I'm sure the other girls in our class would've been more than happy to do it as well, but of course Sensei would allow Suzuka that right if she wanted it."

"…Is this something I should be worried about?"

"Don't know. But it definitely throws a wrench in the idea that she's been deluding herself all this time."

"Are you sure I'm allowed at this table? There don't seem to be a lot of boys here."

"Or maybe she _will_ be joining us."

"[Ah, so you're Suzuka's new…friend,]" Arisa said, immediately realizing that English would be a better choice to talk to him.

"[Your English is very good, though I can't place that accent. Yes, I'm new here; my name's Dylan Keith.]"

"[Arisa Bannings. And you can't place my accent because I'm not an exchange student.]"

"[A_r_isa? Not A_l_isa?]"

Arisa shook her head. "[Like I said, I'm Japanese, born and raised. But, yes, my parents did intentionally choose a name that could easily be Americanized if we ever went back to my father's native country.]"

"[Your—oh. American father, Japanese mother?]" Arisa nodded. (CCX: With an American-sounding last name, this is the only thing that makes sense. Well, actually, whether Arisa is even half-Japanese or not isn't really mentioned in canon…I'm just going with this.)

"Ah, maybe you'd be more comfortable with Arisa showing you around, since she's fluent in English," Suzuka suggested.

"That's okay. My Japanese isn't going to get any better if I'm not forced to practice it," Dylan replied. "And she's not in our class."

Arisa tried not to giggle. "[I think she's happy you said that.]"

"Arisa!" Arisa turned to Suzuka. "[I may not be as good as you, but I've learned more than enough English to understand that.]"

"[Your English is quite good as well, Tsukimura-san,]" Dylan said. "[It was nice meeting you, Bannings-san.]" They left.

"He seems to have gotten the whole 'family name' thing down. This morning he got confused when Suzu-chan asked if he was 'Keith-san'."

"[Yeah, I can imagine…]"

"Arisa? The English speakers are gone now. Please switch back to Japanese."

"…Sorry."

"Honestly, I barely understood any of that conversation…"

"English not your best subject?"

"My absolute worst."

"…Shouldn't you be a bit more possessive of Tsukimura-san?"

"I'm not worried."

"Can you be? Please?"

Arisa giggled. "You want him for yourself, Kaburagi-san?" She nodded sheepishly.

* * *

><p>CCX: Yes, Kaburagi is still here, even though her last line prior to this was back in Chapter 17, though I will confirm that she was at least present in Chapter 18's outing to the beach.<p>

Also, since the US _is_ my home country, I thought I should figure out exactly where Dylan is from. I figure it's probably kind of Midwest-ish, but further east than "Flyover Country", and maybe with just the slightest hint of Southern. So…well, you'll see soon enough.

* * *

><p>"It's hard to believe that some of these people are only a year younger than we are," Dylan said as they left the cafeteria. "Oops, was that rude?"<p>

"Maybe a little, but Ichirei-san's response was ruder. Seriously, Miki-chan?"

"You know how sensitive I am about my height, Suzuka-san." She and Izei were just entering, as they had the second lunch period.

"Well, could you take out your aggression on someone whose babies I don't want to have?" Suzuka took care to say this in a way that someone less than fluent in Japanese wouldn't understand.

"Did…did you seriously just say that?"

"Uuh…did she just say what?"

"[Nothing you need to know,]" Suzuka replied pointedly.

"Ah. Sneaky, using complex words to get stuff by a foreigner." Suzuka smiled at Miki's evaluation. "Good luck."

"Figured it would help if I put things in terms you'd understand."

Miki bristled. "I'm not…do you really see me that way?!"

Suzuka laughed. "I'm just teasing you."

"So I take it she's not a first-year?"

"Second-year, same as us. She's a good friend, actually; she's just… a bit sensitive." "_About more things than one…"_

* * *

><p>*later that day—after school*<p>

"And here's where you'll go if you want to join one of the sports teams."

"Oh? Have you gotten us a new recruit, Tsukimura-san?"

"…Who are you again?"

Watagami facefaulted. "Watagami. Watagami Atsuya."

"Oh, right, Watagami-chan's brother."

"_She remembers my sister, but not me?"_

"I doubt I'll be doing much here," Dylan said. "You don't have American football in Japan, do you?"

"You can just call it 'football'; Japan's not one of those countries that calls soccer 'football'. But, no, we don't have a football team; the sport's just too niche here. Ever play hockey?"

"Don't you need ice for that?"

Watagami laughed. "Not ice hockey. Field hockey. Second-most popular team sport in the world, behind soccer."

"…Is it really?" (CCX: Yes, it is. Learned that while watching the Olympics this past year.) "In America, it's mainly known as being pretty much the only girls' sport—besides cheerleading—that is played in skirts." Watagami was trying his damnedest not to picture some of his teammates in skirts after hearing this. "I guess maybe baseball would be a good idea. I always preferred football, but where I'm from, baseball's kind of in the blood."

"You mean America?" Suzuka asked.

"I mean the Louisville metro. Baseball and horses. Basketball's kind of big in Kentucky, too, but Louisville's always been a baseball-and-horses city." (CCX: He's not from the city proper, but if I were to choose a town, it would be essentially random, so I won't bother. Suffice it to say that he _is_ from Jefferson County.)

"Ah, well. Too bad," Watagami said. "It would've been nice to have a big strong American on the team."

* * *

><p>CCX: Uh-oh, time to explain away another inconsistency…<p>

* * *

><p>"So, Watagami-chan, you weren't even part of Student Council last year, and now you want to step up and take Iruko-kun's place?"<p>

"I, well, this wasn't exactly _my_ idea, but…yes, I suppose so. It was petty of me to not even bother being on the Student Council after losing out on being class rep, but…Kuwata-san just really gets on my nerves."

"…A fair enough reason." Hida Arika smiled. "I do seem to remember that the Class 1-B representative last year was a bit insufferable. But I wonder how the student body would take the idea of a neophyte just sliding into such an important role."

"It was a bit stunning to hear that Iruko-san was going to be leaving. I heard his father got a new job and he had to transfer?"

"Yeah… Anyway, you certainly seem like a good student, and Makimaro-chan had nice things to say about you."

"Sempai really is generous, isn't she?" Hanna allowed her mind to wander. "I wonder if she'll be as popular with this year's first-years as she was with my year."

Hida smiled again. "Who knows. Although it'll be hard for anyone to top your friend Himiya-chan."

"Yeah, Katsura can be a real piece of work…but I'll stand by her through thick and thin."

"Loyalty. I like it. You've got my vote."

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>CCX: I'm not going to bother elucidating this subplot further; naturally Hanna becomes the vice president. CCX, signing off.<p>

Also, behold the wonders of Translation Convention, such that I have to specifically note when something is actually being said in _the language that the fanfic is written in._


	35. Chapter 35

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 35

Disclaimer: OC-heavy though it is, this is a fanfiction, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

A/N: Wow…it's been almost a year since I started this story, and a good few months since I initially declared it "complete". And part of me wishes I'd left it that way, because I'm running out of ideas, even though the most recent chapter just added a new complication. Now that the latest chapter of _The Scarlet Devil 2_ is up, it's time to get back to this… I guess technically that, not this, is my "longest-running continuously-worked-on fic", but it doesn't feel that way because of how few chapters that's had. Do you realize that there's been at least one new chapter in each calendar month since I started this last December? Because there has been.

*later that same day* (CCX: Never mind that the contents of the author's note at the end of the last chapter would be taking place on a later date.)

"So, you certainly seem to have enjoyed yourself today," Arisa teased.

"You mean the new exchange student?"

"Of course that's what I mean."

"Well, it'll take some time to form a proper impression, but he seems nice enough."

"Like you're really gauging him by his personality."

"Maybe I just have a thing for blondes," Suzuka teased, nipping at Arisa's ear.

"Stop trying to change the subject, Suzuka-chan; just because Keith-san couldn't understand what you told Ichirei-san doesn't mean you were discreet."

"…Did I make myself into the subject of rumors?"

"Yes, and if that was your plan all along, it may have backfired."

"I didn't intend for that little outburst to get out. What do you mean, 'may have backfired'?"

"Well, I figured that if you _did_ intend that, it was to throw people off the trail of your true sexuality, and while those who didn't believe the initial rumors now have even _less_ reason to believe them, those who did generally seem to feel that this was overcompensating and, well…an obvious ploy to throw people off the trail."

"I told you, I don't even care anymore."

"I don't think you mean that. Not now."

"Now?"

"Now that there's a guy you really want."

"You jealous?"

"Hardly. This seems like a good time for you to prove your claims of going _both_ ways. You know full well that I don't mind sharing with a boy," Arisa said, reminding Suzuka of the arrangement she'd had with Tatsuke.

"…You know I still love you more, right?"

"…Well, yeah. Like you said, you barely even know the guy. Is Miss Honors Student confusing 'love' and 'lust'?"

"…A fair point. It's too soon for love to enter into the equation with Keith-san."

* * *

><p>*a few days later* (CCX: To catch us up with the end of Chapter 34.)<p>

"[Ah, hello…I didn't know there were any other exchange students at this school. My name's Dylan…]" Dylan seemed nervous as he introduced himself after baseball practice, and grew even more nervous when the girl he approached didn't respond right away. _"Crap, she's not from an English-speaking country! I messed up…"_

"[A bit nervous introducing yourself to a pretty girl, Keith-san?]" Arisa interjected, before translating. "[Unfortunately, that's not the only thing you got wrong. Suki-tan isn't an exchange student and she's not a high schooler.]" Suki had started giggling after Arisa had translated for her.

"Pleased to meet you, Keith-san," Suki said. "I'm Makimaro Suki. Are you a friend of Arisa's?"

"…Something like that. More like a friend of a friend at the moment, though I hope to become friends with her seeing as how she's more fluent in English than anyone else here save for the English teachers."

"Keith-san is in Class 2-A," Arisa explained.

"Oh. Suzuka-chan's class." After Dylan had left, she asked Arisa, "So does he know…"

"…that the majority of his new friends are interested in other girls? No, and it's going to stay that way for now."

"Why is that?"

"Because he _may_ end up being definitive proof that Suzuka _wasn't_ deluding herself about being bisexual. It's pretty obvious watching her around him that she's smitten…never mind the fact that she actually _said_ as much on his first day here."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He made the mistake of commenting about Ichirei-san's childish appearance, she kicked him right in the nuts, and Suzuka told her, in language that wouldn't be taught in any Japanese class, to save her groin attacks for guys whose children Suzuka didn't wish to bear."

"…And this was on the first day she'd met him?"

"Some people just melt over a blue-eyed blonde, _you know what I mean?_"

"Well, when you put it _that_ way…although he's missing one thing that I've got."

"Two things, I'd say," Arisa cracked.

Suki followed her gaze. "Well, yes, obviously he doesn't have these," she puffed out her chest, "but I was referring to the _other_ thing that everyone immediately notices about me. Forget being tall for a guy; he's not even as tall as me!"

"I don't know, it's probably pretty close."

"It didn't look close to me."

"Try measuring again when you're both barefoot," Arisa said.

Suki looked down. "Oh. Right. Forgot that I wasn't in flats."

"Dope."

Suki stuck out her tongue. "And you aren't jealous?"

"Why should I be? I didn't have any problem with sharing you with Tatsuke-kun."

"Point taken. So, how's the new year treating you?"

"Nothing notable yet. How about you? You're a third-year now, top of the food chain, so to speak. Has the Suki Makimaro Fan Club doubled in size now that there's a new pack of first-years?"

"If it has, this group's a bit more timid. I think whereas last year's pack saw me as a cool oneesama, this year's have me more as a genuine school idol."

"So in other words, your life is as charmed as ever."

"…Yeah, I guess. You know I hate it when you make me out to be so perfect, though."

"Yes, I do."

"…The student council vice president transferred away during the break. They had to hold an election for a new one."

"Any particular reason you're telling me this?"

"Just updating you on the status of my existing 'fan club', as you call it. Hanna-chan won the office. Also, Mayu-chan's a class rep."

"…Which one is that again?"

* * *

><p>Arisa wasn't the only second-year learning this fact at the moment. "I'm going to be class representative this year, Shun!"<p>

"That's great, Mai-chan! And here you were worried that there was no point in even trying."

"When did I say that?"

"A couple of weeks ago, maybe?"

"Well, that's because there were a pair of overachievers in my first-year class, one of whom I'd never run against anyway. But now I'm in a different class, so I'm probably going to be at the top of my class now."

"We should go out to celebrate."

"Eh…maybe tomorrow. I promised I'd come straight home after activities today."

"Oh. That's cool. See you tomorrow, Mai-chan."

"See you tomorrow, Shun."

* * *

><p>*The next day*<p>

"Thanks for helping me out yesterday," Dylan said, "though I still made a fool out of myself."

Suzuka looked over at them. "Nani? What happened yesterday, Arisa-chan?"

"Suki-tan was waiting for me after practice. The baseball team was practicing on the field right next to us, and Keith-san went up to her and started hitting on her. In English. Rather poorly, too."

"That's harsh…but, yeah, kind of true. I might've been luckier that she _didn't_ understand me."

"I thought Suki-chan was good at English," Suzuka said.

"Decent enough, sure. Probably would've been able to respond eventually if I hadn't stepped in, although it wouldn't have been terribly eloquent. Translating for her just saved time."

Suzuka sighed. "So then that's the kind of girl you like?"

"Eh? Well, I don't really know…she's definitely very pretty, but I can't tell just by looking at someone whether or not I'll like them."

"And what kind of girl _do_ you like?" Suzuka asked.

"Don't put me on the spot like that!" Dylan answered.

"That was a mighty quick answer, for a non-answer," Arisa said.

"[Yes, well, you've seen first-hand how awkward I am around girls.]"

"[You're surrounded by girls right now.]"

"[Which is exactly why I switched to English.]"

"[I'm a girl too, you know.]"

"[Yes, yes, I'm aware of that. Very aware. But I feel more comfortable talking to you, and not just because I can do so in English.]"

"[Then why is it?]"

"[I…I don't know; I just do.]" As Suzuka and Kaburagi both continued to press him for an answer, he added, "[Maybe it's because you haven't tried to hit on me.]"

"[So then you _have_ realized how smitten Suzuka is with you.]"

"[It's kind of obvious.]"

"[Well, if you've had lots of girls hitting on you, why are you still having trouble with them?]"

"[Because I'm not good at reading people, and I never had this many girls hitting on me back in Kentucky so I'm assuming that most of them are attracted to me because I'm foreign.]"

"You're not making much sense, Keith-san, you know that?" Arisa switched to Japanese. "If you have trouble with other girls because they keep hitting on you, but you didn't have this much trouble with girls hitting on you back in America, shouldn't that mean that you were fine with girls before?"

Dylan turned red. "[Traitor.]"

"[You should know by now that that's just what girls do. Besides, Suzuka's my best friend. I'm sure she was doing a fair job keeping up with our conversation anyway, but I wanted to make sure everyone here got the message. Kaburagi-san's my friend too.]"

"Can't be too close a friend yet, given that you used her family name and an honorific while doing _neither_ when talking about Tsukimura-san."

* * *

><p>CCX: I actually initially had her use a more familiar name before realizing that I'd had Arisa call her by her family name just last chapter, which was only a few days earlier. Which, if I'm not mistaken, means that Kaburagi's given name still hasn't actually been revealed, unless one of those earlier chapters in which I accidentally forgot which was the given name and which was the family name and referred to her by the former was actually published in that form.<p>

CC: Actually, you're not correct. She finally is introduced, full name, in Chapter 17. Going back to search through the early chapters, though, revealed some interesting mistakes…looks like maybe even we should invest in a beta reader.

CCX: Maybe so. Not so much for spelling errors, but for continuity errors.

* * *

><p>"What's your point?"<p>

"[Only that you can't support both of your friends if they're chasing after the same guy,]" he whispered, just to be absolutely _sure_ that none of the others would get his message even if it was in English. Arisa didn't respond, obviously impressed that he had regained his composure so quickly. The rest of lunch played out without another word from either English-speaker, Kaburagi and Suzuka continuing to try to get Dylan to reveal his preferences. "See you later, Bannings-san," Dylan said, getting up from his seat and offering to escort Suzuka to class.

"Awkward around girls, my ass," Arisa grumbled.

"I thought you said you weren't jealous. And why'd he say goodbye to you in particular?" Kaburagi asked.

"That's…well, he said 'see you later', and there's probably a better chance of us seeing each other later than there is of him seeing you later today because the baseball and softball teams practice on adjacent fields."

"_Really._"

"Yes, really! Come on, you know I'm not interested in him! It's…not really much of a secret that I'm a lesbian."

"But Keith-san is new here, which means _he_ doesn't necessarily know that. Can you honestly say for a fact that _he_ isn't interested in _you_?"

Arisa didn't respond. She _couldn't_ say that, could she? Thinking back on what he'd said when she reminded him that she was a girl too, it actually seemed…quite plausible.

Confirmation came the following Monday. "Arisa-san…sorry, I mean Bannings-san."

"Yes, Keith-san? What is it?"

"I know I said back on my first day that I didn't want to have you show me around because I wanted to be forced to utilize my Japanese, but…I'm thinking maybe it would be good for me to get some extra help with my Japanese from someone who understands English as well. Can you help me?"

"…I'm not really the best student. If you need a tutor, you probably would be better off asking Suzuka-san."

"That's…I get the feeling that if she were my tutor, there wouldn't really be all that much tutoring going on."

"And that differs from what you're trying to do now _how_?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"…I've been trying to deny it, but Kaburagi-san is right. You're trying to get closer with me, aren't you?"

"…I think you're getting the wrong idea. Maybe. I'm not really sure myself."

"…Well, try to explain it as best as you can. If necessary, in English."

"[I definitely do want to get closer to you as a friend. If it later leads to something else, well, I wouldn't mind that either; that's why I was so reluctant to reveal my 'type' when there were only two girls at the table that even remotely fit that description and neither had shown any interest in me—and one of them I'm pretty sure never would, not that I really care much for her personality anyway. But more than that, you seem like someone who I _could_ be 'just friends' with, and I'm sure I'd get to make lots of new friends by sticking with you—and, if the need arises, you could help translate any tough words I encounter.]"

"I'm not teaching you any dirty words."

"You don't have to. There was something that Tsukimura-san said on my first day that's been bothering me, though…"

"Like I said, I'm not teaching you any dirty words."

"…Oh. That explains why she was quick to tell me that it wasn't anything I needed to know."

Arisa nodded. "So what did you mean by '[and one of them I'm pretty sure never would]'?"

"[Well…maybe I'm reading things wrong—like I said, I'm pretty bad at reading people—but Shinamori-san kind of comes off as…possibly attracted to other girls. Am I wrong?]"

"[No, you're right…but if I was the other person you were referring to, then you're one lesbian short.]"

"[…Oh. I didn't realize…]"

"[Well, I'm not as blatant about it as Kanna-chan is, but I don't exactly keep it a secret, either.]"

"[I just can't seem to catch a break when it comes to hitting on girls, can I?]"

"[You don't know the half of it. That friend of mine you hit on after practice last week is actually an ex-girlfriend that I'm still close with.]"

"[Okay, now you're just messing with me.]"

"[I am and I'm not. It's true that she's an ex-girlfriend, but she goes both ways so it's not like you were trying to pick up another lesbian. I actually had an agreement with her boyfriend wherein we shared her so as to be able to satisfy all of her needs; I was hoping to do something similar with you once Suzu-chan finally won you over.]"

"[Stop teasing me, Arisa-chan!]"

"[Okay, okay, I'll stop. Wait, did you just call me by my given name?]"

"Oops. Sorry."

"No, it's…okay, I guess." Arisa was too relieved that he had passed off what she said as a joke, because she'd just let slip not only that Suzuka was bisexual, but also that _she_ was her current girlfriend. _"What a mess that would be. I just hope that nobody here knows enough English to have caught all of that."_

"Okay, then…well, I guess that's just as well, since there won't be any tension between us. Friends?"

"Sure…Dylan-san."

* * *

><p>CCX: Well, that was…something. I just hope I'm able to come up with enough ideas to keep this going. This is Cyberchao X, signing off.<p> 


	36. Chapter 36

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 36

Disclaimer: OC-heavy though it is, this is a fanfiction, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

A/N: Wow. I was worried that I'd been falling down on ideas, and then I actually looked at the last chapter—I usually like to at least have the previous chapter open when I'm working on a new chapter, to remind me of where we were—and it's actually pretty long.

*later that week*

"So why don't you just ask Dylan-san out already?" Arisa asked. "You know that he knows how you feel about him."

"I thought you'd be happier that I'm still yours alone," Suzuka replied. "Wait, since when are you on first-name basis with Keith-san?"

"Since Monday. He…kind of expressed interest in _me_. Of course, I told him that I wasn't interested in guys, and, well, he still seemed to take it fairly well and remained interested in being friends." Something else from that conversation suddenly occurred to her. "And you'd better act quickly, because it's only a matter of time before he draws interest from someone who's more of his type."

"Are you saying I'm not?"

"He…kind of indirectly said it. He mentioned that he had been reluctant to reveal his 'type' during our conversation at lunch last week because the only girls at the table that were it had shown no interest in him. As it turns out, that's because they were the only two with no interest in boys at all…stereotyped though it is."

"Stereotyped?"

"I'm _guessing_, even though he didn't actually say it, that he goes for the athletic type."

"I'm suddenly relieved that his first encounter with a member of Class 2-O went so disastrously," Suzuka joked. "Though if cheerleaders like Kanna-chan are athlete enough, I could definitely foresee some issues arising in the future… So is this because you're his friend too now?"

"It's because of you, of course. If it were just his interests I was looking out for, I'd introduce him to one of my teammates. Also…I kind of let it slip about us. Luckily, he didn't take me seriously."

"…What?!" Arisa explained about the conversation, how she'd mentioned her arrangement with Tatsuke and expressed interest in creating a similar arrangement if the need arose. "And this happened in public?"

"We were speaking English at the time, so it's unlikely anyone else knows."

Suzuka sighed. "I get the feeling you've ruined everything."

* * *

><p>*Friday night*<p>

Suzuka's feeling was wrong, of course. Dylan accepted when she asked him out. "I…see that this is a popular place for high school couples," he said. "I'm guessing you planned it that way?"

"You barely even know me, and already you're accusing me of underhanded behavior?"

"That grin on your face tells me I was spot on," Dylan replied. "You want other people to know that you're on a date with me."

"…Maybe a bit."

"…Is that Chura-san from our class?"

Suzuka suddenly seemed exasperated. "I wouldn't think he'd _want_ such a popular spot."

"So then that girl who appears too young to be his girlfriend, too old for him to be babysitting her, and not enough like him to be his sister…"

"_Is_ his girlfriend, yes. Indirectly, they met through me."

"Indirectly?"

"I invited the entire class to my New Year's party last year—this year, I suppose, but last school year. Himiya-san and a couple of her friends decided to crash the party, and somehow while we were giving her and Watagami-chan the third degree, Aoba-san slipped away and mingled with the guests. Lied about her age, too."

"Okay, so that one's Aoba, and I heard you mention Watagami once before…but who is Himiya?"

"Suki-chan's current girlfriend."

"So then Arisa-chan told you about our conversation."

"Did you really expect otherwise?"

"No, I don't suppose I did. Given how close you two are, I'd imagine you share just about everything."

"…What?"

"Oh, did she leave out the part where she blabbed your secret?"

Suzuka took a moment to respond. "[No, she told me about that. She said you thought it was just a…a joke. She _also_ said that you two were speaking _English_ at the time, so…don't talk about that in Japanese with all of these people around.]"

"Sorry. Nicely done, though, speaking your mind like that in English."

"I am pretty good in all of my classes."

"Yes, but your inflection was good, too. I've noticed that it's a lot harder to show your emotions in a foreign language. I'd like to think I'm getting better, but I can tell that my Japanese must sound very, um…I don't know the word I'm looking for so I'll say 'emotionless'—to the rest of you."

"'Monotonous'?" Suzuka guessed. "I don't really know how to say that in English, but that seems like it would fit." It was indeed the correct word. "I guess there are some natural problems with communication between us."

"Only on tough words that don't come up often in everyday speech. And, you know…dirty words."

"Why did you bring those up? Wishing you could talk dirty to me?" Suzuka teased.

"No, just wishing I knew what you said about me on the first day of school. I mentioned to Arisa-chan that there was something you'd said that I didn't understand, and she repeatedly told me that she wasn't teaching me any dirty words."

"Yeah, Arisa may come off as a bit 'rough' at times, but she's probably the 'cleanest' one in her peer group; always has been." She thought about this. "Well, maybe not as much so as Fate-chan…" A sad look started to come into her eyes.

"Something wrong?"

"Just thinking about our friends from elementary school and junior high. For a good six years or so, the five of us were inseparable…but now our group has been split into three and two."

"The three of them all left together?"

"It's probably best if we talk about something else, before I say something I shouldn't."

Dylan looked at her, wondering why she needed to be so secretive, but he knew better than to push it. "[So then it really _wasn't_ a joke?]"

"Eh?"

"[I was just teasing you, you know. I figured that Arisa-chan probably would've mentioned that part too, given how closely related it was to the part that you'd already revealed that you knew about, so…]"

"[…So you decided to test my reaction to see if it was a joke or the truth.]"

"[…Actually Arisa-chan was spot on. I _did_ think it was a joke. I was surprised when you reacted the way you did, especially seeing as how I didn't give any specifics…um, details,]" he corrected, seeing Suzuka slightly confused at his word choice.

"[I would've gotten it eventually,]" she protested to his decision to clarify. "[…Yeah, it's true. I like both boys and girls, and Arisa and I are…in a relationship.]"

"[…And Arisa-chan's 'arrangement'?]"

"Yeah, that really happened. I don't know what the current status of the arrangement is, because last I knew Suki-chan felt that she'd rather end things with her boyfriend than allow Himiya-san to have a similar arrangement, but then Himiya started to think that she was leaning more towards guys…"

* * *

><p>CCX: Suzuka brings up a very good point. KatSuki has been all but ignored since the last lemon chapter. And yet, given where we last left off with Katsura…<p>

* * *

><p>*the next day*<p>

"I was surprised you wanted to come along with me," Suki said.

"Well, as tolerant as I am, I can't let you have _too_ much unsupervised time with your ex-girlfriend who you clearly still have some feelings for," Katsura teased.

"And yet you'll no doubt go wandering over to watch the boys instead."

"…Yeah, you caught me."

"Looks like they're drawing quite the female crowd. Must be someone that a lot of girls want…" Katsura had already gone to join the throng. "Wait, Katsu-tan, that's not a good idea!"

"_He's beautiful…like a male version of Suki-sama,"_ Katsura thought, trying to figure out how to get him alone to introduce herself.

"So I guess that exclusivity thing never did happen, huh?"

"Huh?"

"Should've figured you'd be taken with Dy—Keith-san," Suzuka corrected, "but from what I hear, 'porcelain dolls' aren't really his type."

"…'Keith-san'?"

"Foreign exchange student. In my class. _Also we went out on a date last night._" The last sentence was whispered.

"And you want to keep that a secret?"

"Well, no; that's why I made sure it was somewhere where we'd be seen. But at the same time, to announce that _here_ would be suicide."

"In other words, 'Back off, cat, he's mine'?"

"You're a smart girl, Himiya-san."

"…So if all of this female attention is on the foreign exchange student, I'd have a pretty decent shot at one of the others?"

Suzuka sweatdropped. "Possibly. Hell if I know; I haven't been coming to these things much. Like I said, this relationship, if you can even call it that yet, hasn't been going on for very long."

"Suzuka-chan. Didn't expect to see you here. Shouldn't you, I don't know, be over with me watching Arisa-chan?"

"Well, Dylan-san's willing to give me a chance even though he knows the truth about…all of us…so I'm taking the proper girlfriend course of action."

"…What do you mean, 'all of us'?"

"That is a question you should be asking Ari-chan. Although, I suppose I was the one who confirmed it to be true…well, parts of it, anyway. I don't think he thought she was joking about you."

"Don't think he thought?"

Suzuka paused. "You are absolutely correct. I need to have a talk with Arisa, too. Later today, we're going to have to discuss what is known by whom."

* * *

><p>Katsura sat down next to Suki. "Arisa-san still isn't here yet?"<p>

"Nope. It's kind of refreshing to see such progressive attitudes, actually; it would be all too easy for her teammates to ostracize her off the field because of her sexuality," Suzuka said. "How was your excursion?"

"Fruitful." She grinned. "Though I wasn't too busy to notice that you might need to work a bit harder to keep your position."

"From the throng in the stands, I hope?"

"You don't seem too concerned."

"I am. I just need to know _how_ concerned to be."

"About?" asked a familiar voice.

"Dylan-san, of course."

"Well, just because it wasn't one of my teammates doesn't mean you're home free. What's up?"

"Just wanted to update you on how last night went."

"And what does that have to do with Suki-tan and Katsu-chan?"

"Because both of us have problems keeping our mouths shut. I let on that you'd told me about your conversation, and he 'teased' me about our little secret. Naturally, I took it the wrong way and my reaction confirmed to him that you _weren't_ joking."

"Ouch. And you're not worried that Katsu-chan's report that he's apparently still playing the field isn't related to this?"

"…Why do you have to be so realistic, Arisa? That's supposed to be my job."

"Sorry. How did the topic come up, anyway?"

"Well, my plan to make sure we were seen ended up finding someone else familiar."

Katsura shook her head. "Mayu-chan. Of course, since…Quiche-san, was it?—is in your class, he'd know her boyfriend." (CCX: My apologies if there are dialects in which "quiche" _wouldn't_ be pronounced exactly like Katsura's mispronunciation of "Keith". I could've gone with a more phonetic pronunciation, but I thought this was funnier.)

"Yeah. And that's…a decent approximation of his name, yes."

"Eh?"

"His name is…particularly troublesome for those who aren't used to speaking anything other than Japanese," Arisa explained.

Suzuka nodded. "I had to take it very slowly the first time I tried to say it because I didn't want to get it wrong. Kanna-chan wasn't quite so careful."

"Who?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess you wouldn't have met her, except maybe briefly at the party you crashed. She's another friend and classmate…and lesbian."

"Of course, I didn't have any trouble with it, because I was raised speaking both English and Japanese," Arisa said.

"Right, you're half-American. Everyone always assumes I have some sort of foreign ancestry because of my pale coloration, but if I do, it's very distant." (CCX: I don't remember if we discussed this already or not.)

"Hm. Yeah, you are paler than most…but you'd probably get more strange looks in America than you do here, because even though your skin color is lighter than most Caucasians, your features are decidedly Asian."

"Have you actually been to America?"

"Yeah. Quite a number of times, actually. I do still have family there, after all."

"And friends, too, right?"

Nobody said anything. Arisa looked over at Suki as if to ask, _"Did you tell her this lie?"_ Suki shook her head.

"Actually, they're in Europe. Somewhere in Germany, I think," Suzuka said, knowing that continued silence would only cause more problems. "Hayate-chan has family there, or somewhere around there. I don't know; I don't speak German."

"Oh. Okay, that makes sense too. I just remembered hearing that they were far away. I guess I just assumed that it was America."

"Yeah, well…"

When Katsura had left the table, Arisa asked, "So what was that all about?"

"I figured it was better to lie outright than invite more questions with silence."

"Why Germany?"

"Because _Wolkenritter_ is clearly a German word. I always wondered why beings from another realm had a name that seemed to be derived from a language on our planet."

"Coincidence?"

"Maybe."

* * *

><p>*…some other day*<p>

"So, you heading up to the school today?" Katsura asked.

Mayu didn't answer for a moment before realizing that she'd meant the high school. "No, I've got Student Council work to do. Why are _you_ so eager to go up there all of a sudden?"

"Let's just say that I finally hit paydirt. Hopefully it'll get somewhere before either of them realizes that I don't go to their school at all."

"There are so many things wrong with that statement, Himiya-chan."

"…You feel comfortable enough with me to call me '-chan', but still can't use my given name?"

"…Don't take it personally."

"Whatever. So, if you would elaborate?"

"Okay, start with the word 'either'. I suppose it's better than if you'd said 'any', but it still means you're playing two boys. Add on that anyone coming from school would probably still be in uniform during after-school activities, and your street clothes are just as revealing—as _telling_—as your middle school uniform would be."

"True. Good thing I didn't actually _say_ that I was a part of their year _at their school_. Actually, I don't think I ever said I was a part of their year, period, but if that is the lie I'm to be telling, I can always claim to go to a private school."

"It'd be much easier to disprove that than it would be to disprove that you went to any given public school. Probably."

"Do you even realize what a hypocrite you're being about this, Mayu-san? If I remember correctly, you made this exact same lie on New Year's."

"I didn't claim to be the _same_ age as my boyfriend-to-be."

"No, but you claimed to be two years older than you actually were. Hence, the same lie. They're first-years."

"…Fair enough. That still leaves your little love triangle problem."

"I wouldn't call it a 'love' triangle just yet. And I only have to play them both long enough to figure out which one I want for myself. Then I just _casually_ mention to the other one that I have this friend who I think would be perfect for him and pray that Atsuya-san doesn't go into overprotective big brother mode and beat the shit out of the guy."

"…Who?"

"Hanna's brother. She has two brothers, so it would be too confusing if I was on last name basis with both of them. They let me call them by their given names."

* * *

><p>CCX: You know, that's one of the things that always bothered me about honorifics. I guess you have to make sure you're speaking directly to someone, because it's quite possible that you call the rest of their family by the exact same name. I've wondered at times if the honorific is even needed when you're not directly addressing someone but instead talking about them to a third party; I've always included it just in case, though only in speech, not in thoughts.<p>

* * *

><p>*the following Saturday. Is it May yet?*<p>

"…Sorry I haven't been able to answer your calls. Or return your texts. Student Council work's been keeping me busy, and a _certain someone_ would be all too quick to use any signs of slacking off against me."

"I guess I didn't realize how things would change after you gained this position," Katsura replied. "Are you free now?"

"Yeah, I guess. You certainly seem to be in a rush to set me up with this guy."

"Well, I…kindofstartedaftertwoguysato nce. In a situation where it'd be hard to keep them apart."

"So I'm supposed to clean up your mess?"

"It's not like that! I was just trying to keep my options open, pick up numbers…and I got two. Figured that I'd keep one and introduce the other to you. Though I think you and Touga-san would be an even better fit than me and Rakashi-san, so that's a plus. Oh, and while I don't think I ever outright lied and said we _weren't_, they don't know that I'm still in junior high, so if you're in your school uniform, you might want to change before arriving."

"The uniform wouldn't do me justice anyway. No problem."

Katsura left the bathroom…only to run into both Touga and Rakashi anyway. "I don't suppose, by any chance, that your friend is coming, is she?" the former asked.

"Actually, she is. I…guess you know, huh?"

"Well, I couldn't find you, and Rakashi-san said he was waiting for a girl, and you had seemed interested enough in me when we first met but suddenly you want to introduce me to a friend of yours…it kind of all added up."

"Heh heh…I seriously think you two would be perfect for each other, though. Totally would've let her go after you if we'd been boy-hunting together like usual." She paused. "That really didn't help my case, did it?"

"Not really, no," Rakashi said.

"That's what I thought. I think maybe I'll just shut up until Hanna-chan gets here. You should probably go over and watch the varsity game, anyway."

"…You're right. We probably should."

* * *

><p>"Okay, so keeping them from finding out that I'd been flirting with the other one failed, but I don't think this venture has totally gone up in smoke yet."<p>

"'Yet' being the key word. Judging by the fact that you're alone at the moment, I take it you found a way to avoid having to speak without me around to filter you?"

"Well, it makes a better impression for them to be attentive during the varsity game. It's just a shame that the softball team's game is away today; I wouldn't even be lying if I said I had friends on that team."

"You have friends on that team?"

"Well, _a_ friend. Arisa-san and I have been getting along quite well ever since…well, I guess since New Year's, actually."

"You'd think that would've made things worse."

"There was some enmity at first, sure, and there's still always a little tension because it's obvious that she and Suki still love each other…but as long as she's got Suzuka-san, I don't think she minds me too much."

"…So why me?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I was just thinking when you said that Bannings-san doesn't mind you so much anymore, 'If only Hayama-san was so accepting.'"

"You think I should've kept Touga-san for myself and set Rakashi-san up with Suki-tan?"

"…Would that be self-sacrifice on your part?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Tough to tell which one I like more…but it was obvious which one would be better for you."

"…I'm glad to know I'm still on your mind. So which one is Touga-san?"

"I'll introduce you."

"I kind of want to…_introduce_ myself."

"Down, girl. Remember, I thought he'd be a good match for _you_. A boobs-first introduction may give him the wrong idea."

"You think I should cover up more?"

"I didn't say that. Your outfit is just fine. But brushing up against him isn't the way. If he wants to focus on your breasts, let _him_ be the one to make that decision. Since you're certainly putting them—it out there."

"You sound jealous."

"…Now that they explicitly _know_ that I want to double date, I feel like perhaps my plans will go awry."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that, well, I don't know either one _that_ well yet but I think Rakashi-san's probably the more likely of the two of them to fall in love at first sight with your chest."

"You _are_ selfless, taking the one you believe to be shallower for yourself."

"Or possibly just lacking the self-esteem to believe that anyone would want me for my depths."

A chuckle from behind them. "_Your depths weren't so bad._"

Katsura spun around at the whisper in her ear and found herself face-to-face with a grinning purplette. "S-Suzuka-san… don't talk about that…" She cleared her throat. "So why are you here, when Arisa-chan is playing elsewhere?"

"You were the one who told me that I needed to work a bit harder at staking my claim. And so far, it seems to be working."

"Eh? Tsukimura-san has a 'claim' here too?" Hanna asked.

"Don't tell me you thought I was only interested in girls."

"Yeah, and she's got her work cut out for her. Lot of competition."

"I don't see anyone out there that would draw that much attention," Hanna said.

"Wait for it. Trust me, he _is_ hot."

The batter at the plate hit a home run, driving in the runners on base at the time—one of which was Dylan. "Oh. Foreign exchange student. That'd do it."

"Yeah, he's been getting a lot of attention. Of course, a _smart_ girl would avoid the crowds and go for someone else."

"And that's exactly what we have here. You must be the friend Himiya-san mentioned."

"_Thank you Touga-san."_

"Yeah, I'm Hanna…Watagami Hanna." Her adherence to traditions overrode the nagging sense that it might not be a great idea to mention her family name, since unlike Katsura, she _had_ family in the school. Her fears were unfounded, though, as her brother was in a completely different circle than these guys.

"…Are you sure there wasn't some mistake as to which of us you were going to set up with your friend?"

"You're a pig. And no, there was no mistake; Hanna-chan's the smart one, too."

"You're a bold one, insulting someone you want to date."

"Yes, she is," Hanna agreed. "She's always been that."

* * *

><p>An unexpectedly long chapter, all in a day's work. CCX, signing off.<p> 


	37. Chapter 37

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 37

Disclaimer: May or may not be necessary, but it's here just in case.

*May*

"Dr. Rorochika? I was surprised when I called your old office and they said you'd retired. Normally I would've left it at that and inquired about getting a different doctor, but, well…you remember how delicate the details of our case were."

The doctor was quite confused. "No, I don't; where—"

"I think it's finally time we had the discussion we should've had a decade ago. And may I say again that you don't look nearly old enough to be retired."

"Thank you; you don't look nearly old enough to have been one of my patients a decade ago. Or anyone's, for that matter."

Miki frowned. "I know, I know. And, yes, Dr. Inagi was my primary therapist; you were my father's. But there was that…certain issue that you felt it prudent to talk to me about."

The retired psychologist wracked her brain. "…Ichirei-san? Are you Ichirei Miki?"

Miki smiled. "So you do remember me."

"I would've expected you to be…taller, by now."

"Among other things. My body's stubborn refusal to grow has been my primary source of angst these days…but of course, our discussion centers on a certain _other_ source. I finally did follow your advice and shared my story with someone…someone very close to me. And it did help, to a degree."

"That's good. Come on in. So now there are a total of, what, five people who know what happened that day?"

Miki entered. "…I only count four."

"…My apologies. It was a delicate situation since you and your sister were seeing Dr. Inagi together and both of you expressly wanted to avoid allowing her find out, but…since you wouldn't talk to me about your father's suicide attempt, I had to let Dr. Inagi know that his patient wasn't just in there for grief counseling. I discussed it with your father before breaching the doctor-patient confidentiality, and he agreed that it was best that Dr. Inagi knew what he was really dealing with."

"Is that so? He never let on that he knew."

"Inagi Kosuke is one of the best child psychologists I know. Also, you were six years old at the time. Even as intelligent as you were, I wouldn't expect you to have been able to pick up on the more subtle things we do at the time. Though, I would've hoped that once you were seeing him one-on-one, you would've told him about it yourself. That _was_, after all, why your father sent you to see him for longer than he sent your sister. …But I doubt we're _just_ here to talk about the past."

"Right. I…still have problems letting go."

"Of…?"

"My anger towards…her. For what she did to us, especially to Daddy."

"By 'her', you mean your mother?"

"…Yeah. For awhile, it was just a matter of people knowing to avoid the subject of my mother, but…" She paused. "Sakura-chan doesn't share my…problem."

"Well, you said she still doesn't know just how badly the news of your mother's infidelity and death affected your father. So it's understandable that she wouldn't feel as much hatred for her mother as you do."

"That's true, but that wasn't the problem I was referring to. If anything, she looks _older_ than she actually is—at least as old as I actually _am_, if not older. And…she's the spitting image of our mother. It's hard for me to look straight at her now, and I know it's unfair because they're not the same person, but…" She trailed off. "This past spring break, my father allowed me to bring my boyfriend with us on vacation. Daddy's quite protective of us, and we were both joking that the real reason he allowed Izei-kun to come along was so that he could be a fake boyfriend to Sakura-chan to ward off anyone who might want to hit on her, since the natural assumption for any strangers seeing us would be that she's the older sister. So then when Izei said that he'd be fine with that as long as he didn't have to get too publicly affectionate, Sakura-chan started teasing him that he didn't find her attractive, and he said it was irrelevant because she was my sister, so then _I_ started teasing him that if she wasn't my sister, he would find her attractive, and he said that it's tough to tell because a lot of the traits that make her attractive were traits that I had too, so if we weren't related, she might not have them, and I got mad and stormed off."

Dr. Rorochika stared at her. "Um…"

"…I know what you're thinking. Izei's been a friend for a long time; he knew me—and _liked_ me, apparently, though I only just recently found out—since before my appearance was anything out of the ordinary."

"And he's not bothered by the fact that you still look like you're ten or eleven when you're actually…sixteen, is it?"

"He's willing to put it aside. He's the one I eventually told, you know. Just to show him how much I trust him."

"…About what happened with you and your father?"

Miki nodded. "Most of my friends don't even know the parts that Sakura-chan _does_ know. But I told him everything, this past New Year's."

"It sounds like you really have someone special there. That's good."

"Honey? Who are you talking to?" A third voice cut in.

"An old patient came to see me. I treated her father ten years ago, and although she was mainly Dr. Inagi's patient, I treated her a bit, too."

"Oh. I'll leave you alone, then; it must have been a really sensitive issue if she sought you out rather than looking for a new doctor."

"That your husband?"

"Yeah."

Miki lowered her voice. "I guess maybe you are older than I thought. Either that or he's a real cradle robber."

Dr. Rorochika smiled. "Well, he _is_ already in his sixties while I'm still in my fifties…but, no, there's not a huge age difference between us."

"I honestly would've believed you were still in your forties, maybe early fifties at oldest."

"You flatter me, Ichirei-san. I haven't been that young since your father was still my patient."

"…Well, as pleasant as it is to talk about other things…I suppose it would be best to return to the subject of my 'mommy issues'."

"If that's what you want. One of the first things psychologists learn is not to push the patient to reveal any more than _they_ want to reveal."

"Should you really be giving away your secrets like that?"

They both laughed. "I'm glad to see that you've managed to learn how to enjoy life, Ichirei-san. You know what one of the dark secrets of my profession—former profession—is? We often end up as each other's clients. Of course, our own doctor-patient confidentiality prevents us from revealing too much to our shrinks, but…well, it should be obvious why we'd have issues."

"The burden of keeping those secrets. I know that there are limits to how far doctor-patient confidentiality goes, but…there really wasn't any reason to have to tell anyone about my father's case, was there? After all, if the police had found out that he had had the intent to attempt suicide, what would they have done? He probably would've been mandated to receive psychiatric help. Which he was already doing of his own free will."

"Well, I'm a psychologist, not a psychiatrist, but…yeah, pretty much. If I ever thought he needed more, I would've been quick to refer him to one. For example, if he still had the gun."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I was quick to ask about that. He said that after what happened, he was quick to sell the gun."

"Um…I don't know if you can tell me this, but…did he ever tell you why he'd bought a gun in the first place?"

"Hm. …Yes, he did."

"…And?"

"You asked a yes or no question. I answered, 'yes'." Dr. Rorochika managed to keep a straight face, out of professionalism.

"That's true. I suppose I did. So…_can_ you tell me?"

"Probably not. That's why I hesitated to answer before coming up with the technicality."

"Fair enough. I suppose if I absolutely must know, I could just ask him, but…it's not worth bringing up. Not yet, anyway. Maybe I'll ask him one day."

* * *

><p>"Would you let me have the honor of accompanying you to the school dance?"<p>

Suzuka couldn't help but giggle at the manner in which Dylan asked her. "The honor would be all mine."

"I figured as much. Just wanted to make it official."

"Since you expect that there will be plenty of girls willing to ignore the usual customs?"

"Uh…no? Honestly, even in America, the tradition of the guys asking the girls has still held fairly well as far as school dances go, unless it's specifically been inverted. Still, it is probably best that I get my date lined up quickly."

"Thus opening me up to be the target of every girl's envy in this school."

"…Surely you're exaggerating."

"A _liitle._"

Later that day, another pair of baseball players were working on lining up dates. "Our school is having a dance next Friday," Rakashi said. "Perhaps you two would like to attend?"

"I'd love to," Katsura replied. "Hanna-chan, you going to go with Touga-san?"

"…You sure that's such a good idea?"

"It'll be fine," Katsura assured her.

"…How can I say no? Sure, I'm in."

"Great. Now, when bringing dates from other schools, we have to register them...I forget, what school do you two girls go to?"

"…I don't think there's anything for you two to remember," Katsura said.

"You're right. There isn't," Touga said. "You've never mentioned it."

"…"

"It's fine, you can say it," Rakashi said.

"Should we really put them through this charade?"

"Wait, you mean…" Hanna said.

"…We already know? Yeah," Touga replied. "Just because _we_ came from a different junior high doesn't mean there aren't people here who know you."

"Okay, fine, yeah. So it's not a problem?"

"Why would it be a problem?"

"Well, then, that's settled. Now that we don't have to worry about scheming to pretend to be in high school, we can start working on a plan to allow Mai-chan to attend without her parents knowing," Hanna said.

"Why would we need to do that? Didn't they fake her going to his graduation a couple of months ago? Her parents know that Chura-san is in high school _now_; they just don't know that he already was when they started dating."

"Okay, what is this all about?"

"One of our friends is dating a second-year that she met at a New Year's party. Multiple lies were involved—first to him, making him think that she was a third-year when we were still in our first year, and then once that deception was unmasked, he ended up lying and making her parents believe that _he_ was a third-year in junior high rather than already being in high school."

"So then going after older boys is kind of a thing for you and your friends."

"Well, for me it's just older boys. For Katsu-tan it's more like upperclassmen in general."

"Hanna!" Katsura turned bright red.

"…Sorry. I overstepped my bounds, didn't I?"

"I-It's not really like that. I'm—I like guys, generally speaking. There's just this one special girl."

"It's—you don't need to explain yourself to me," Rakashi said, while Hanna rolled her eyes behind Katsura's back.

After the two of them were alone, Hanna explained herself. "Geez, Katsura, way to blow it. Weren't you worried that Rakashi-san might be paying more attention to me even though he's supposed to be your guy, due to me being more developed? I gave you a perfect chance to become a star attraction."

"Pardon my language, but what the fuck are you talking about?"

"Guys totally think girl-on-girl is hot. I'm pretty sure they _know_ we know that and that we play homoerotic games entirely for their benefit, and they _still_ can't get enough of it. Positioning yourself as going both ways would be a great move even if it _wasn't_ true. Speaking of which, since when has it not been?"

"It never was."

"I seem to remember you positively glowing the night after you expanded your horizons."

"…That had nothing to do with that. Oneesama and I had been going through a rough time in our relationship—or rather, I was starting to doubt my feelings—and we patched things up. Although, yes, there were some physically pleasurable moments." She blushed.

"That's what I figured. Now spare me the details."

* * *

><p>"So what are you doing about the dance this year?" Suzuka asked.<p>

"I might not even go," Arisa replied. "I can't really go with Watagami-san again, seeing as how it would seem suspicious what with us not really being together at any point since last year's dance."

"I thought everyone knew you were a lesbian anyway," Suzuka pointed out.

"Even more reason to avoid taking someone who's still in the closet."

"What about the one who was Suki-chan's date last year?"

"Too campy for my tastes. Also, I'd rather stay on speaking terms with Watagami-san."

"Oh. They split up?"

"This is high school. Stable relationships aren't supposed to be common; a couple lasting over a _year_, like Suki and Tatsuke-san did, is almost unheard of."

"…_Did_?"

Arisa smiled grimly. "The writing's been on the wall for awhile now. A couple of weeks ago, Tatsuke-san finally told Suki-tan that it was clear that she no longer had feelings for him and that he wanted to go their separate ways."

"Poor Suki-chan. Is she 'available', or has she more or less come out as bisexual and in a relationship with a girl?"

"She is…not denying the rumors that she and her favorite second-year are a bit closer than mere sempai and kohai, but she refuses to confirm that she is anything other than heterosexual, either. Sound familiar?"

"Yeah. If this were America I'd sue her for theft of my intellectual property," Suzuka cracked.

"Well, international woman of mystery, here's your chance to silence all of the doubters. Go to that dance, without the slightest reason to worry about your girlfriend, and show them just how heterosexual you can be."

Suzuka kissed her. "I promise I'll make it up to you later that night."

"I won't hold you to that promise. You can make it the following night if things end up getting a bit hetero_sexual_."

"…I'll keep a condom in my purse."

"Good girl. So, in the spirit of non-jealousy, you don't mind that I'll probably be spending the evening with my gorgeous ex-girlfriend?"

"Suki-chan's a good girl."

"With a documented problem in faithfulness to a single person. Or even two single people, though she's only got one at the moment and she'll be otherwise occupied."

"Wait, what?"

"I thought you knew—spotted it in its infancy, in fact, given that she was giving you tips on Dylan-san. One of my teammates—cute little first-year, I feel like I met her before even though I know I haven't—is a terrible gossip. Her boyfriend is on the baseball team, and he told her that two of his teammates are dating second-year junior high students. From _our_ school. Care to take a guess who they might be?"

"Ah, so your real reason for not going with Watagami-san is because if he can't find a date, he stands less of a chance of seeing his little sister at the dance."

"No, that's not it at all. Why would I protect _her_? I still dislike her, even though I've come to kind of like Katsu-chan."

"Watagami-chan seems like a sweet girl to me. A bit abrasive, maybe, but, well…"

"An _iincho_ type. Someone that you could get along with quite well."

"I don't think there is such a thing as _**an**_ _iincho_ type. After all, if Watagami Hanna is an _iincho_ type, then Ichirei Miki is about the furthest thing possible from an _iincho_ type."

"She's certainly lacking in [inches]," Arisa replied.

"It's times like these I wish I could perform magic, so that I could pull a harisen out of thin air and smack you with it."

"It wasn't _that_ bad, was it?"

"All you needed was a Kansai accent and you'd be all ready for manzai."

"What yew mean?" She giggled.

Suzuka laughed as well. "Well, either way, I can't really be jealous, because the best way to play up the homoeroticism on the dance floor would be to get a true lesbian/bisexual to be my receptor. Remember where that landed us last year?"

"How could I forget our amazing threesome?

"Well, remember who you just said would be there."

"You gonna play with the kitty cat?"

"Yep. Gonna play with the pussy."

* * *

><p>CCX: I still haven't the slightest idea where I'm going with all of this, nor do I really care. It's…at the moment, there doesn't seem to be any resolution in sight, and the fact that the fic started with a foregone conclusion is currently quite annoying. Well, anyway, I think this chapter has reached a good concluding point, so until next time, this is CCX, signing off.<p> 


	38. Chapter 38

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 38

Disclaimer/Author's Note: Disclaimer's still here, even though the curiously low view totals make me wonder if it isn't so OC-heavy that I _wouldn't_ be better off excising all MSLN elements and reprinting this on Fictionpress. (Changing the names of the more major characters and possibly cutting the more minor ones out entirely—though the irony of this fic is that some of the "minor" ones are the ones that are major characters in the series proper. I _think_ Nanoha herself would get away with a rename because the fact that the place where the characters sometimes go for food is owned by the family of one of their missing friends actually comes into play, but part of the distancing process might actually involve taking Fate's character out entirely.) The thing is, I don't want to do this. I _like_ that this is a fanfiction rather than a completely original work, even if some elements (i.e. Miki's entire plotline) would've probably been better served being in their own standalone work. (Really, that girl has "Hero of Another Story" written all over her.)

*May—a week before the dance*

"…Really?" Dylan asked.

"Yes, _really_," Kanna replied, hurt at the incredulous look on Dylan's face as he heard her turn down a prospective date to the dance because she already had one.

"A _male_ one?"

"I don't understand why you think it so unbelievable that I could get a date."

"More like I'm shocked that it isn't more obvious to these guys that you don't go that way."

"Who told you?"

"I didn't realize it was supposed to be a secret. Arisa-chan was the one who confirmed it for me, but only after I told her that I'd gotten that feeling from you."

"Narcissist. Just because I wasn't fawning over you like everyone else when you first arrived?"

"No, though that _was_ somewhat of a clue."

"Well, you're right that it isn't quite as much of a secret as…some other people's sexuality, but at the same time, there are plenty who still believe it to be baseless rumors. Though that could be just because that's what they _want_ to believe…"

"Guys who are attracted to you?"

"Among others. There are a lot of people who want to maintain disbelief that a cheerleader could be a lesbian—chiefly among them the other cheerleaders."

"You're a cheerleader?"

"Yep. Not what you'd expect, is it?"

"…That's what was so familiar," Arisa suddenly interjected. "It was last summer, when you introduced us to one of your friends from the cheerleading squad."

"Hmm?"

"One of the first-years on the softball team. Seemed familiar to me but I just couldn't place it. Now I remember that I already knew, or at least had met, her older sister."

Kanna tried to remember the event. "…Fusabi's got a younger sister? And she's _not_ a cheerleader as well?"

"That doesn't _necessarily_ mean that you have a chance," Arisa said, "and even if you did, that'd pretty much wreck your cover."

"If she's anything like her older sister, it'd be worth it."

"Pervert."

"And proud of it."

* * *

><p>CCX: You should've learned this by now: Never assume that a character is an only child unless it's specifically stated that they are. And think about reality: unless you're close enough with them to have actually gotten together with them outside of schoolwork/whatever, how many of your casual acquaintances do you really know how many siblings they have? It's rarely relevant. I remember looking through my senior class yearbook at the section with underclassmen and being amazed by how many of my classmates had younger siblings that I never knew about—but then again, since I was friend_ly_ with most of my class but made few real _friends_, why would I know?

So, yes, it's kind of a shortcut to reduce the number of surnames I have to create…but it's grounded in reality. Have I ever stated that a character _is_ an only child? Well, in case I hadn't, I can confirm that among major characters, Izei _is_ an only child. I think Kanna probably is, too, unless something I previously said contradicts this; same goes for Kaburagi. Oh, and I think I actually _might've_ confirmed it for Mayu…

…Huh. I could've sworn I'd confirmed Suki to _not_ be an only child, but I've been looking back at old chapters and apparently I made a note that while I'd originally planned it to be this way, it seemed apparent that this was incorrect, and she is. So now I don't know if she is or she isn't.

* * *

><p>"So since you've only misrepresented your boyfriend's age to your parents by one year, I take it they don't have any problems with you going to the dance?" Katsura asked.<p>

"Why are you asking me this?" Mayu asked in reply.

"I was thinking we could all go dress shopping together this weekend."

"'All'?"

"Yes, don't you remember? Hanna-chan and I are both dating first-years now."

Mayu sighed. "I still think this is a bad idea, but I'd be a hypocrite to condemn you for dating a high schooler because your boyfriend's still younger than mine."

"So is that a yes?"

"…Yes. Now please get back to work."

"…You've become so much more serious since you became class rep." (A/N: I've since learned that class reps aren't actually "elected" in Japan; it's based on who got the best test scores the previous year. Luckily, most if not all of the characters that I've labeled as class reps thus far can pull that off.)

* * *

><p>The trio had just arrived at the mall when Katsura felt a nip at her ear. "Hey, sweetie. You didn't really think you were going to have a shopping trip without bringing me along, did you?"<p>

Katsura turned around and kissed Suki. "Of course not. I didn't tell you about it, though, so how'd you find out?"

"Lucky guess. Ari-chan told me you were going to the dance. You'll enjoy it, trust me; Ari-chan arranged to get me there last year."

"Arranged?" Katsura asked.

"Yeah," Hanna said. "Did I ever tell you that I knew the truth about Sempai even before you confessed to her?"

"N-no, you didn't…"

"Well, I did, because last year my older brother had a 'date' for this dance. Bannings-san. I surmised, correctly, that Chikuro-san brought Sempai as his 'date', thus allowing Bannings-san to bring her girlfriend despite a ban on same-sex couples getting dates."

"You confronted her at the festival in June."

"How'd you know?"

"Just what made sense. Anyway, let's get to work."

"Work?" Mayu asked.

"Yeah. You've never been on a shopping trip with Suki… Fashion is kind of her 'thing'." Already Suki was looking at dresses. "I don't think so."

"It'd look great on you, Katsu-tan!"

"Maybe if I had your body. Trying to stand out isn't exactly what I want to do here…I'm probably going to be one of the least developed girls there."

Mayu looked down at herself disappointedly. "Well, at least you'll have me there…"

"I wasn't referring to you, although you're not much better off than I am. Remember that one who looks like she's Natsu-chan's age?"

"Right, right. Though I still think you've got me beat."

"I know a place we can settle this dispute once we're finished here," Suki grinned.

"Ah, yes, it'll be nice to turn the tables on Katsu-chan after last time," Hanna said with a similar grin. "Just too bad Mayu-chan has to get caught up in it."

"Don't think you're out of the woods, Hanna-chan. After all, I need to know how much you've grown so I can pick out your dress. This looks like a good starting point…" And then Hanna was swept away into a dressing room.

"What are you doing in here with me? Hey, those are tender… why are you taking off my panties as well?!"

"To get a better idea of how it'll look. That's far too form-fitting a dress to wear with such childish panties; they'll leave lines. Hmm, looks like your breasts are even bigger than I thought…Still." Suki opened the door to the dressing room. "Doesn't Hanna-chan look stunning?"

"Y-yeah…stunning…" Both girls were immediately afflicted with breast envy.

"Can we try something…_not_ strapless?" Hanna asked.

"You should be proud of your puppies!" Suki said. "You've gotten a bit taller since you first expressed concern about being 'disproportioned', so I think you can pull this look off."

"You also thought Katsura should wear red."

"She looks damn awesome in red."

"She only did that at Christmas to get your attention. I don't think she wants to be the center of attention here. Nor do I."

"Well, too bad, because you're absolutely stunning."

"Need I remind you that I'm trying to keep this from my brother? He…both of them, actually, but Ryo's away at university so I don't have to worry as much about him—they tend to be a bit overprotective of Mei-chan and me. I told my parents where I was _really_ going this Friday, but I told them that as far as Atsu-san was to know, I was_ just_ going to be staying over at Katsura's house. Which I will be, of course, because there's no way he wouldn't suspect the truth if I came home afterwards."

"And your parents were okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't they be? It's not like I was keeping it a secret from _them_. They understand that there are certain things I might not want to share with my older brothers."

Suki selected another dress and sent Hanna back into the dressing room, this time with a shoebox and a pair of those thin disposable socks as well. "But I already have a pair of shoes that I could wear with this dress," Hanna protested.

"And what purpose would you have for bringing them to a mere sleepover, Agent DD-7?"

"My breasts aren't _that_ big!"

"It was a—"

"—I know what it was a reference to. I've seen most of the movies."

"Really? That…kind of surprises me."

"Doesn't surprise me at all," Mayu said.

"I already knew, because I watched a lot of them with her," Katsura added. "Once we found out that _Goldeneye_ was based on a long-running movie franchise, we had to check it out. It didn't disappoint."

"You too? And, wait, what?"

"_Goldeneye 007_. 1997 game for the Nintendo 64. When a new system comes out and Hanna-chan's older brothers get it, Hanna gets their old one, so we're consistently a generation behind the curve, but…" She smiled. "We like some of the same games they do, but for different reasons."

"She explained all of this to me at New Year's," Mayu said. "Though given what she said about backwards compatibility, there's no good reason for you to have an N64."

"…Yeah, she had to wait two generations to get that one. Virtual Console."

"Why would anyone buy the same game twice?"

"…It's a gamer thing. I don't get it, either. Whoa, looking good!" Hanna had come out of the dressing room. The black dress was similar in style to the one she'd tried on first, but was a better fit, and the added height from the heels made her look…quite passable as a high schooler.

"Perfect," Suki said, "now we just need to accessorize."

"Can we not? Some of us _don't_ have parents willing to fund their daughters' crazy shopping sprees," Hanna replied. Suki frowned.

"Ah, is that how you always seem to be able to shop without fear?" Katsura asked.

"Heheh, yeah… I guess I am kind of 'Daddy's Little Princess'," Suki said sheepishly. "Do you at least have some decent accessories at home?"

"Better yet, _I_ do," Katsura replied.

"It's fine, I think my jewelry box is at least somewhere where Atsu-san won't notice if something's missing. Especially because I still share a room with Mei-chan."

"Why is that, anyway? Ryo-san doesn't even live at home most of the year, but he and Atsuya-san still get separate rooms and you and Meira-chan have to share."

"It's…actually kind of by choice. I _like_ my little sister. This is the last year, though; once Atsu-san graduates, Mei-chan's taking over what's currently his room and my brothers will have to share Ryo-san's old room when they're home." (A/N: In case you were wondering, Meira's a year younger than Katsura's younger sister Natsume.)

"So, what do you think of this dress, Sempai?" Mayu asked.

"It's a bit more…colorful than I would've picked out for you…but that only shows that I obviously don't know you as well as I thought I did. You go try it on, and I'll see if I can find you some matching shoes." Unlike Hanna, Mayu had been prepared for shoe shopping, wearing socks thin enough that they wouldn't affect sizing on shoes that would eventually be worn with no stockings at all.

"Would _you_ have pegged her for that dress?" Katsura asked.

Hanna shook her head. "I probably would've expected something more drab as well. Not to mention a bit longer…Mai-chan's always struck me as more reserved and traditional."

"Me too. Of course, most people probably would never expect the real you, either."

Mayu stepped out of the dressing room just as Suki returned with a pair of floral-print wedges, which Mayu eagerly stepped into. "So?"

"You look marvelous," Katsura said. "You'll fit right in."

"Coming from someone who goes both ways? Very sexy," Suki said.

"Should I be worried?" Katsura teased.

"Of course not, because I'm going to make _you_ the sexiest girl at the dance."

"But I don't want to be the sexiest girl at the dance. Just sexy enough to keep my boyfriend occupied."

"Trust me, unless you want to spend the night _far_ away from your best friend," Hanna recoiled as Suki groped her breasts without even turning her head away from Katsura, "you're going to need to be the sexiest girl at the dance to do that. Also, you need to uphold my legacy."

"…What."

"Hey, we can't have this _high school dance_ actually dominated by a _high schooler_, can we?" she giggled.

"Yeah, well, I'm not sure where we'll find someone to top you next year."

"That'll still be you, my dear. …You knew I would show up all along, didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, really? Well then why are you wearing the sexy lingerie that we picked out on our last shopping trip together."

"Okay, you caught me. I was hoping to run into you here and seduce you into doing me in a fitting room."

"Seriously?"

"No, but it suddenly sounds like a great idea."

"I'm game."

For the next twenty minutes, Hanna and Mayu were telling anyone who came to use the fitting rooms to please ignore the sounds coming from the adjacent stall. Afterwards, Katsura said she loved the way the dress made her breasts look bigger, but that there was no way she'd be allowed to wear that to a school function. Suki concurred and admitted that the same was probably true of Hanna's dress, and after another five minutes of Hanna and Mayu's warning people, they exited.

"Okay, next dress you pick out for Katsu-chan, you're not allowed to go into the dressing room with her," Hanna said.

"That may be for the best," Suki agreed. "She's just too irresistible for me. Also, upon further consideration, you were right to ask for something not strapless; this is, after all, a school function, and dress codes are likely in effect."

* * *

><p>CCX: I'm basically running off of what I remember of my own high school's dress code. I don't remember if the rules set out for everyday dress code applied to the dances—namely the part about everything needing to have straps at least a finger-width wide—but then upon further reflection, I realized that seeing as how this school has <em>uniforms<em>, it wouldn't exactly have a standard "dress code" anyway.

* * *

><p>Once they'd found new dresses for Hanna and Katsura, the quartet headed to the onsen where they'd gone last time. "Promise you'll behave yourselves?" Mayu asked.<p>

"Depends on whether there are any guys peeking in from the other side. If there are, I just might have to put on a show for them," Katsura said wickedly.

"Well, either way, I believe we were going to settle the question of which of you two was more developed," Suki said.

"You're such a pervert, Sempai," Mayu said.

"If you have a problem with it, _I_ could do the testing instead," Hanna said.

Mayu turned red. "Um…well, I guess since you're totally straight, it wouldn't be a problem…eek!"

"Don't bother. I was right; you are bigger than me. A little," Katsura said.

"Himiya!"

"Calm down, Mai-chan; you've got nothing to worry about," Hanna said. "I had a feeling you didn't _really_ want me feeling you up."

"But-but…" Hanna shook her head, and Mayu stopped, though more out of confusion than understanding.

* * *

><p>*later that day*<p>

"So, how'd your shopping trip go?"

"Wonderful. Took me awhile to rein myself in enough to comply with school rules, but I think my little Katsu-tan will be more than appetizing enough. Let's just hope she can carry it off."

"How'd you get her to agree to it?"

"Simple. I made Hanna-chan as sexy as possible first, and then forced Katsu-tan to choose between avoiding her best friend all night and trying to outshine her."

"Shrewd as ever. I'm seeing a lot of parallels between you and Suzuka. If, heaven forbid, our plan ends up working _too_ well, would you be willing to take me back?"

Suki laughed. "I'm the one who should be asking you that question, Ari-chan. I was the one who broke up with you, after all. Not that I really want to think about losing Katsu-tan to Suzuka-chan."

"Hey, I'd be the one who'd lost two girlfriends to the same girl," Arisa shot back. "So you're really worried that Katsu-chan's more interested in guys than girls?"

"Well, you remember our conversation. Sure, in the end we ended up having an awesome foursome, but any time that it's not just the two of us, when we're with her friends, she sounds just like any other boy-crazed teenage girl."

"And when it _is_ just the two of you?"

"Ah, well, once I have my little cutie-pie all to myself, then everything feels just fine. I can't resist her…and once I get started, she can't resist me, either. If I'm not mistaken, there was a period of nearly half an hour this afternoon during which anyone coming over to the dressing rooms was told to kindly pretend that the obscene noises emanating from dressing room #3 didn't exist."

"Suki-tan, you're so bad…"

"Yeah…and yet I still get a feeling that I'm going to lose out in the end."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Because I don't think it's in her nature. After we finished up, we went to an onsen—kind of for the _express purpose_ of shenanigans, since Katsu-tan and Mai-chan each seemed to think that they were flatter than the other one. Mai-chan didn't seem too happy with the idea of me doing the comparison, and seemed almost embarrassed when Hanna-chan offered to do it, saying it was 'okay' because Hanna-chan was 'totally straight'…but then Katsu-tan did it herself, and she got downright mad at first, only to let it slide without further comment shortly thereafter."

"You think…"

"Katsu-tan doesn't even identify as bisexual; she considers herself 'straight with one exception'. Yeah, that's what I believe…and I'm really hoping that can change. Because even being that exception…if her nature is 'straight', then that's probably where she'll wind up in the end." After a reflective pause, Suki turned the conversation around. "But what do you gain from this? I thought you wanted this to be a proper test of Suzuka-chan's bisexuality. I thought you said you weren't jealous."

"I'm not jealous. I even told her that she can wait until the next day to 'make it up to me' if things get serious, since she offered to do so that very night. And I _do_ want it to be a fair test. What wouldn't be a fair test would be if I were there myself, because she has strong feelings for me that go beyond just sexual lust. She has no such feelings for your kitten, so if she still opts for peaches over a banana when it's strictly her libido doing the tugging, we'll know once and for all that she's been deluding herself all this time."

Suki couldn't help but laugh at Arisa's fruity metaphor. "That's…certainly one way of putting it. Although as we discovered today, 'peaches' might not be the best fruit to compare Katsu-tan to. Something smaller."

"You got the idea, didn't you?"

"Yeah, yeah… Love you, Ari-chan."

"Love you too, Suki-tan." She hung up.

* * *

><p>CCX: I definitely remembered having a reason for wanting another chapter before the dance, but I can't quite remember what it was. The opening scene of this chapter was at least somewhat close, because it was set at the school, but everything regarding the junior high students was completely off-the-cuff. Hopefully I've set the tone for what'll be a very intriguing Chapter 39. Until then, this is CCX, signing off.<p>

Oh, and one more thing...nearly a decade after I first set the goal and more than half a decade after reaching the milestone with a work of fiction that _was_ published on fictionpress instead of here, I've finally reached the promised land. A fanfiction that fits into the "100,000+ words" category. Hallelujah.


	39. Chapter 39

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 39

A/N and Disclaimer: Well, I guess you could say that I have an endgame now. After finishing the previous chapter, I started working on an epilogue, set just after the "present" sections of _Last Christmas_. I've found that my unwillingness to contradict canon has often gotten in the way of my fanfiction writing, so this really was a perfect set-up for me. _Obviously_ the two non-magical friends of the main characters had to be having their own, more mundane tribulations like normal high schoolers, so why not tell _that_ story? All characters that are from the original canon are not mine, while all of those from my canon, obviously, are.

* * *

><p>"So, you think you can just come in here and take my daughter to a school dance?" The jovial attitude on Mr. Ichirei's face easily betrayed the fact that he was not as angry as he had been when he'd given the speech he was paraphrasing. "Welcome, Izei-kun. Miki-chan should be ready any second now."<p>

Miki couldn't help but notice the change in her father's demeanor toward her boyfriend and commented on it. "Well, I think he's starting to see me as part of the family."

"F-Family?" Miki turned red. "It's a little early to be thinking that way…oh, he'd better not be trying to hook me to the first non-pedophile that sees me as a viable wife!"

"Uh, I think it's more the fact that he knows that I know the family secret. The one that even your sister doesn't know?"

"You told him that I told you?!"

"It seemed like the right thing to do. He's the one it really concerns…oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that! I mean, yes, he was the one who was actually suicidal, but…he was an adult. You were a kid, who had just lost one parent and was suddenly in danger of losing the other."

"Yeah. Let's not talk about it, okay? Tonight's supposed to be a happy night. I don't need you to be my shrink; I already have one of those."

"…You've been seeing a shrink?"

"…Yeah. After my little meltdown during spring break, I tracked down the psychologist who treated my dad after that incident. Sakura-chan and I went to a different psychologist in the same practice who specialized in treating children, but once my father told her what had happened between us, she had wanted to speak with me as well. I was uncooperative then. Now I'm ready to talk. I don't know why it's coming out after all these years. …I mentioned that I told you my secret. She seemed to think that this was a good thing—one, because I shouldn't bottle things up, and two, because I found someone willing to look past…you know."

"Does your family know?"

"No. I've been paying out of my own money—she's giving me a reduced rate because technically she's actually retired now and is simply treating a patient with which she has a prior history at her own home."

"So that's why you had to 'track her down'." Miki nodded. "Well, enough depressing talk. Time for everyone to see that you don't need a big rack to be beautiful."

"You're so sweet, Izei."

* * *

><p>"Whoa. Is this like a prom or something? Am I underdressed?"<p>

"You're fine, Dylan-san. You just happen to be dating a rich girl."

"Ah. So that's why you insisted that you'd take care of our ride. I don't feel so bad about not being able to do it myself anymore."

"Hm?"

"You didn't know? Driver's licenses are obtained at an earlier age in the U.S. than they are here. It varies from state to state, but even the state that makes you wait longest allows you to take the test at 17. I looked into whether or not I'd be able to drive here, though, and it turns out Japan never…ratified the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and is therefore not obligated to recognize foreign licenses as valid."

"Is being able to drive yourself that much fun?"

"Kind of. But more importantly, it's convenient."

"…Wait, you're already 17? When was your birthday?"

Dylan smiled. "It was before I came here. The school year starts in the autumn in the U.S.—back home, I'd be almost finished with my junior year right now."

"…Do you miss your home?"

"There are things about it that I miss. But I'm enjoying Japan."

"Anything in particular?"

"That I miss, or that I like?"

"Either, I guess."

"Well…right now I'm thinking that I'd prefer the Americans' more casual attitude towards kissing," he grinned. "If that's not a problem."

"Not at all." Suzuka blushed. She'd actually been hoping Dylan would kiss her since they'd started dating. "Thanks for being considerate of our views."

* * *

><p>"Are we absolutely sure that the one you're dating is only 13?" Rakashi asked.<p>

"Hey. Eyes on your own date, or we'll see how well you dance with your ankles slashed by my heels."

"So angry. It doesn't suit you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just…" Rakashi wasn't quite sure how to respond without insulting her somehow, "you're so…elegant, and…"

"Delicate-looking?"

"I wasn't going to say that…"

"Why not? You seem to be contradicting yourself. Are you saying you _don't_ think I look like a beautiful and delicate flower?"

"I, um…please don't hurt me."

"I'm not even sure if you're worth hurting."

"What was I supposed to say?"

"A simple 'yes' would've done the trick rather well," Hanna suggested. "Girls like that type of thing. Well, I guess some don't, but Katsura isn't one of them. She relishes her delicate feminine image."

"…She doesn't really seem so delicate to me."

"Hence why she enjoys appearing as innocent as she does. It keeps people from seeing the real her." Rakashi didn't know how to respond to this. "I should've fought a little harder for white."

"Huh? You mean the dress? I think she looks just fine in blue. Actually, more than just _fine…_" Rakashi followed after Katsura.

Hanna shrugged. "Well, I guess I got his mind back on Katsu-chan…somehow."

"He's got a bit of a weakness for pretty girls. Doesn't even mind rejection too much as long as he gets to watch them walk away."

"Huh—oh. Yeah, that much she can provide."

"I'm a little surprised by your choice, though. It accentuates…certain features, that it normally seems like you try to downplay."

"…You noticed? That I normally try to downplay them, I mean, not that they're accentuated now. It's kind of hard to _miss_ that, right?" Touga nodded. "Used to be even more severe, but I've been growing a bit so they don't look quite as ridiculous."

"I'll try to keep my eyes on yours. Though I regret to inform you that for me to not have to look down too much, you may have to keep your shoes on all night."

"I'll manage. You're a real gentleman, Touga-san."

"Well, it doesn't take much to appear gentlemanly next to Rakkun, but thank you all the same."

* * *

><p>"You certainly are uncompromising, aren't you, Suki-tan?"<p>

"This _was_ a compromise," Suki replied. "I wanted to dress her in red, but she and Hanna-chan vetoed that plan."

"Well, I'm not complaining. Your little kitten looks wonderful."

"…What would you have suggested?"

"Hmm?" Arisa asked.

"You obviously seem to think something's still 'off' about my choice for Katsu-tan."

"Well, you know as well as I do that she likes to put on a front of innocence and purity. Wouldn't _white_, or something close to it, be more appropriate to that?"

"Yeah, I guess. It's just so hard for me to see her as innocent now."

"So did you take pictures of the other two, too, or is it just your precious?"

"Nah, I've got some."

* * *

><p>"I love your dress," Miki said. "It's so hard finding something that looks good for someone my size—usually I have to shop in the children's section."<p>

"You must not be looking in the right stores," Mayu replied. "I don't think we've ever been formally introduced, though my being here wouldn't have been possible without you. I'm Aoba Mayu."

Miki looked confused. "Ichirei Miki. Though it sounds like you already know that somehow."

"And I'm Kumaya Izei. So, yeah, how exactly is my girlfriend responsible for you being here?"

"Well, you certainly played a role too, Kumaya-san. Shun and I met at Tsukimura-san's New Year's party, but…I wasn't exactly an _invited_ guest."

Izei and Miki both grew nervous. "You're referring to that 'incident' we ended up causing…"

"My friends were looking for a way to get in anyway. My father being called in merely provided an opportunity to do so."

"Your father?"

"The officer who responded to the call. And, yes, he knows that I'm dating a high schooler…though he thinks I'm dating a first-year, not a second-year."

"Ah, Miki-chan! You look great!" Suzuka interjected, quickly trying to divert the conversation away from New Year's.

"As usual, I feel like I'm out of the loop. What just happened?" Mayu asked.

"I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say that _you're_ not the one who's out of the loop; _she_ is. There are…certain rumors about the class rep floating around. Would the full story of why you and your friends were at that party reveal anything about the validity of those rumors?"

"I…not exactly? I wasn't actually present for the resolution of that particular romantic entanglement, so all of my knowledge is second-hand, but…" Just in case, she whispered, having realized that this apparently wasn't meant to be common knowledge, "I _think_ Tsukimura-san might have been the reason that Bannings-san let Himiya-san have Sempai."

"…That statement was so vague I don't even know where to begin."

"Well, you met Himiya-san a couple of months ago; she's the one who had the reason for wanting to be at the party. And Makimaro-sempai you probably met at the party itself."

"The name doesn't sound familiar."

"It's kind of hard to miss her. She's very tall, very shapely, and blonde."

"Oh. Yeah, I think I saw her, though we didn't actually meet. And all of the principles in this story are…"

"Female, yes. As far as I know, Bannings-san is the only pure lesbian among them; the others like both."

"Well, I'm sure a lot of people would be relieved to learn that. Half the female population of the school would be furious to learn that iincho isn't even _interested_ in guys."

"Now where did you hear that?"

"Ah, no, I said it's a good thing that that's _not_ the case, because all of the girls fawning over Keith-san would be driven into a rage."

"Right," Kanna said. "Suzu-chan's quite adamant about that fact."

"So then the rumors about her going both ways are true?"

"Pretend you don't know that." Chu nodded.

* * *

><p>"Okay, seriously, what am I missing? How am I the only one this small who can't find something decent-looking to wear?"<p>

"One, you look just fine, and two, what you're missing is Suki-tan. She manages to find clothes that fit her own decidedly un-Japanese proportions; it only makes sense she could find something for anyone." (CCX: If she really does have magical shopping powers, I want some of that; any pants I find that are small enough for my tiny waist are inevitably too short for my long legs. Also I feel the need to remind everyone again that I'm _male_, because from the mouth of a female that complaint would totally be a stealth brag.) "Looking magnificent, Himiya-chan."

"You're looking pretty nice yourself, Tsukimura-san."

"You've got to tell me where you found that dress," Miki cut in. "It's not often you can find something grown-up looking for someone with such petite proportions—though you're not _quite_ as petite as I am."

Katsura started to blush. "Tsukimura-san…"

"Please ignore Miki-chan. She seems to feel that looking like she's about five years younger than she actually is gives her free rein to act completely inappropriately."

"Geez, Suzuka-chan, I was just checking."

"Well, don't. She's…going through something," Hanna said.

"Watagami-chan?"

"Just…leave it."

"…weren't her breasts a _lot_ smaller the last time I saw her?" Miki asked.

* * *

><p>"So, how does this compare to the dances at your school in Kentucky?" Suzuka asked.<p>

"Not much is different. A little more reserved, I suppose, but not noticeably so."

"It does seem a little less wild than it did last year."

"_Really_ now."

"Okay, maybe not. But girls like that are somewhat of an exception. Although…I suppose I got a tad provocative last year myself."

"I can't exactly picture that."

"You just want to see for yourself, don't you?" Suzuka teased.

"Well, who wouldn't, when you tease like that."

Suzuka laughed. "True. I _was_ kind of planning on it, but…" She facepalmed. "Kanna-chan…"

* * *

><p>"<em>What do I do now?!<em>" Katsura hissed.

"_Just go with the flow,_" Hanna replied.

"_No, don't do that_," Suzuka countered. (CCX: I know; this looks like my convention for thoughts. If it actually were, the quotation marks themselves would also be italicized.) "Kanna-chan, what are you doing?"

"Starting things up. Don't worry, no one will notice…though I'm not really sure what you're worried about."

"You."

"Hey, I know when someone isn't receptive."

Suzuka thought about this. The situation was exactly the same as the one the previous year in which Suki had discovered her true sexuality. But Suzuka already _knew_ that Suki was bi at the time, so she hadn't had to sense anything. And right now…she wasn't sensing anything. "Sorry about that, Himiya-chan."

"Don't worry about it. Rakashi-san certainly enjoyed it."

"Probably would've been better to watch if it was your 'special girl'. But that wasn't really your aim, was it?"

"Mm…you mean it was just to show off what could be coming your way?"

"Is it?"

"_Yes_," she purred, and began grinding up against him.

* * *

><p>CCX: It was <em>so<em> tempting to say "_rubbing_" up against him, because we've already used two feline "said bookisms" for Katsura's dialogue in this section. But it just didn't feel accurate enough.

* * *

><p>"So yeah, there wasn't really anything missing from that dance, except for the things that I don't <em>mind<em> being missing," Dylan said.

"Like?"

"Well, nobody sneaking off to have sex and ending up graduating a year later than expected because they needed a maternity leave."

"Did that happen _often_ at your old school?"

"I wouldn't say _often_. Though perhaps I'm just a little sensitive because some close personal friends were among those who did that. Well…Jake's still a friend, anyway. Cassie…I don't really want to talk about Cassie."

"A girl that you liked, too?"

"[Not like _that_, no.]" Dylan switched to English. "[No, we were friends when we were younger—she was kind of a tomboy, hung out with the boys more than she hung out with the other girls. Still does, but for different reasons—namely, she's gained a reputation for being the easiest lay in the school. She _was_ my year, originally, but then she started ballooning up during freshman year. Refused to say who the father was throughout the pregnancy, but once that baby was born in the summer, we figured out that it was probably conceived around the time of the homecoming dance, which put the suspicion on my best friend, Jake Smith. Cassie confirmed it. She swore that she only kept it a secret because she didn't want him to feel obligated to stay with her and the baby. Stupid, isn't it? Most of the time it's the girl who wants the baby's daddy to be around, and the guy who doesn't want any part of it.]" He paused. "[Things have been a bit strained between them since then. Of course, as per gender double standards, Cassie's the one who's getting completely ostracized, um…] 'ostracized', [while Jake's status as a father is rarely even mentioned; usually whenever he says something relating to his kid, everyone's response is, 'Oh, yeah, I forgot you were a father.' Unfortunately—and I say this strictly out of compassion, not because I actually still think she's an okay person—the only avenue that's been left to Cassie is to _keep sleeping around_. Which, to her 'credit', she's been doing quite nicely. As I hear it, Jake Jr.'s going to have a half-sibling sometime around November or December. Seeing as how Cassie would only be a junior by that point, anyway, I figure at the rate she's going she might be able to pop a third one out by graduation.]"

* * *

><p>CCX: There's actually a correction in there that I caught before finishing the chapter. Originally I said that Jake Jr. was born "at the end of the school year", but unless they had their homecoming dance pretty much right at the start of the school year, that would make him a preemie—and I'm <em>not<em> putting one of those in my story, even though it would be somewhat justified as mothers near either extreme of the reproductive years (under 18 or over 35) are at increased risk, and studies suggest that marital status could also be a factor. (In theory, this sounds silly, but I'm willing to accept that the added stability of having the child's father around could help the mother. The team that concluded that pregnancies where the parents have a common-law marriage have less favorable outcomes than those who have "traditional" marriages, however, was probably just seeing what they wanted to see.) The more you know!

* * *

><p>"So, used to be a friend, but your opinion of her has soured. She named the kid after his father and didn't think that someone would figure it out?"<p>

"Well, like I said, she's not too bright…but actually, she didn't tell anyone the name until after she'd confirmed his father's identity. And technically he's not actually a 'Junior'; the name on his birth certificate is Jacob Freeman, although after Jake found out that he was the father and insisted on being part of his son's life it's now 'Smith-Freeman'."

"So it sounds like everything worked out okay somehow."

"Then I obviously wasn't doing a good job telling the story. While they at least put up with each other because they both care about the baby, Jake and Cassie aren't on good terms with each other at all."

* * *

><p>CCX: What was the point of all that? It just kind of sprung from what should've been a brief comment, and likely will have no real effect on anything to follow it. Well, at least my inexplicable error in math (I'm not supposed to <em>do<em> that) gave me a chance to speak out for a cause that I support. (The March of Dimes does great work to help prevent premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality. I'm not going to tell you to support them, because that would probably violate the Terms of Service, but even with the comment about my math error giving me the platform I'm just worried that someone would misinterpret me "speaking out" as being a pro-life parable. I'd rather leave my views on abortion out of this; initially this A/N stretched on a lot longer as I did expound upon this point, but I decided that that was exactly what I was trying to avoid.)

* * *

><p>"Hey. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."<p>

"Not yet," Arisa replied, "we were just getting back, too."

"Did you enjoy your date?"

"I don't know if you can really call it a 'date'," Suki said. "Just a girls' night out between a pair of friends with benefits."

"So, no getting lucky?" Arisa asked.

"Dylan's a nice guy. He was even a bit nervous about kissing me because of the way that's viewed as a much bigger deal here than in America, but I told him it was okay."

"And what about certain…other elements?" Suki asked.

"Your little kitty was certainly very sexy, but I just wasn't feeling it from her."

"That's what I thought…"

"Is something wrong between you two? She _did_ seem quite into her date."

"No…when we're together, everything's fine. She's still completely enthralled with me. But…regardless of whatever spell I have over her, it's pretty clear that she's essentially straight."

"…I thought something felt 'off'. Seriously?"

"I think so. Maybe it's best if we do break it off."

"…You'll get through this, Suki. You've got a lot of options out there; it's one of the advantages of being bisexual."

"So, then, you're finally sure that you are?" Arisa asked.

"I was always sure. Well, okay, occasionally all of your claims to the contrary gave me some doubts, but, yeah. I really like Dylan-san a lot—as a person, too, not just because of how attractive he is."

"So then why are you here with us?"

"Well, I don't want to gossip, but I don't think he wants to have sex with anyone anytime soon. Or at least not full-fledged intercourse."

"Oh, come on, you can't tell us that much and not expect us to be curious."

"Apparently his best friend back in Kentucky already has a son, almost a year old," she thought about this for a moment, "no, sorry, almost _two_ years old. The mother used to be a friend of Dylan's as well, but she's kind of an outcast now and her only way of getting any acceptance at all is to _keep sleeping with people_; apparently she's pregnant with some other guy's baby now, and also she's probably not going to graduate high school until six years after entering it."

"Well that takes some stupidity, too, doesn't it?" Suki asked.

"American high schools run four years, not three."

"Right. Forgot about that. So, what, an additional year each time she has a baby?"

"Yeah, something like that. She got pregnant early in their first year, so it was born in between the first and second, and I guess she's in her second year now even though Dylan-san and his friend are in their third."

"He…was in his third? So then he's…"

"Older than us, yes. He'd be graduating high school in just over a year if he'd stayed in America."

"…Maybe he'll stick it out until our graduation anyway. You never know…"

"…I didn't ask him. But, yeah, I thought about that, too."

"What?" Suki asked. "Why are you two so sad all of a sudden?"

"If he'd normally be graduating high school next June…then he'd still be able to do that if he only stayed here for one year."

"Isn't that, I don't know, _normal_ for foreign exchange students?"

"Yeah, I guess. Doesn't make it any less depressing."

"…Maybe he'll only be gone for a couple of months, then. A person doesn't just go on a foreign exchange program for a lark, do they? He might go to university here…"

"…There, that's the optimist we know and love."

"I'm…not…"

"Shouldn't have said anything?"

"Shouldn't have said anything."

* * *

><p>"Just how accepting <em>are<em> your parents?" Rakashi asked.

"Fairly accepting, but I think what we're going to do would probably cross that line. I'll sneak you in."

"You're insane," Hanna said.

"You know full well that if they knew I was bringing a boy in, they'd insist on having someone watching him at all times, except maybe if he had to use the bathroom and they'd only allow that if they could keep an eye on everyone _else_."

"Who's 'everyone'?"

"You, me, Natsu-chan…"

"Wait, what?"

"Wait, _what?_"

Katsura didn't respond right away, as Touga's parents turned around at Hanna's outburst. (CCX: Well, _someone's_ got to be taking them home.) "Oh, I wouldn't expect Rakashi-san to go after Natsu-chan. He's clearly displayed a preference for pubescent girls, and Natsu-chan _isn't_. At least I'm pretty sure she's not. I guess she might be starting to reach that age…forget I said any of that."

"It's forgotten. But how are you going to get to her house, anyway? My parents wouldn't just drop you off there."

"Your parents don't know where my home is. I've taken the liberty of giving them the wrong address, reducing the distance I have to walk to a point that's manageable, but not suspiciously small. I'm more worried about explaining my absence to _my_ parents."

"It's taken care of. I sent a text to them from your phone telling them that you were going out afterwards with Ushio-san and Naruda-san—don't worry, I made sure to make it sound convincingly like it was you writing the text—and both of them are in on the plan and have told their parents that it'll be the three of you when it'll really just be those two. The only part I _haven't_ worked out is getting you back home, since spontaneous overnight plans didn't quite seem plausible."

"I don't know whether to commend you on coming up with something that good or be furious at you for leaving that gaping flaw," Hanna said. "Like Touga-san said, Rakashi-san's house is nowhere near yours."

"I've got a potential solution, but I don't think you want to hear it."

"Does it involve Sempai and her friends bailing us out?"

"Yes."

"Then no, I don't." They arrived at Katsura's house. "Also, what about the fact that I'm _supposed_ to be sleeping in the same room as you? I can't exactly give you two your privacy…"

"No, you're right. You can't."

"…_Please_ tell me your plan for the night did not involve a threesome."

"Don't worry, Hanna, I wouldn't force that upon you. And really, I have no right to ask you to do this, but…you're going to have to bite the bullet and be in the same room."

"You truly are insane."

Katsura kissed her on the cheek. "But that's why you love me, right?"

"You really shouldn't say such ambiguous statements. People might get the wrong idea about our relationship."

* * *

><p>Katsura was, however, nothing if not lucky. Or, from another point of view, she was extremely unlucky. Because when Suki started getting sad again, Arisa and Suzuka decided that the best way to cheer her up would be for the three of them to <em>head to Katsura's house.<em> Furthermore, they arrived right after Rakashi texted Katsura to get to sneaking him in, and so Katsura made a point of greeting her guests and then introducing them to her parents, making sure that the door never actually closed completely; Hanna took care of sneaking Rakashi in. "So I guess this changes the plan."

"Well, on the plus side, more people means more noise is to be expected. But still not too much, because—" she stopped.

"It's okay; you can say it. I'm not naïve, Han-chan."

"Natsu-chan?"

"'Because Katsura's parents don't know the true nature of her relationship with Suki-sempai.' That how you were going to finish that sentence?"

"You…know?"

"Of course. Mom and Dad probably would, too, if they actually watched those two interacting with one another; it's kind of _blatantly obvious._"

"Oh? I've never seen her with her girlfriend. Are they really all over each other all the time?"

"They try to avoid it when they know I'm around, but…they definitely have trouble resisting one another."

Arisa and Suzuka were still talking to Katsura's parents, who for some reason had their concerns about their daughter associating with kids so much older than her even though they were fully aware of where Katsura had gone that night. They somewhat deflected the issue when this hypocrisy was pointed out to them.

"Perhaps the problem is that a 15-year-old boy _is_ roughly on the same maturity level as a 13-year-old girl, if not lower…well, about even in Katsura's case, anyway. But I'll vouch for these two. Suzuka-san is a class rep, you know."

Hanna's word seemed to assuage the Himiyas, who considered her to be a good influence on their daughter. "We're on first-name basis now?" Suzuka asked.

"If you want, I'll switch back. But I wasn't lying when I said I'd vouch for your character. Bannings-san…well, I wouldn't say anything _bad_ about her, anyway."

"How kind of you," Arisa snarked back.

"Well, I guess it's fine…I don't know, it feels weird."

"Then Tsukimura-san it is."

By this point, Suki and Katsura had already returned to the latter's room. "Oh, hi, nee-chan, oneesama. I guess I should leave the three of you alone, huh?"

"The three of us?"

"Your attempts to hide your bisexuality from your little sister evidently failed," Rakashi said. "So this is your girlfriend? I can see what you were attracted to."

"I-It wasn't like that! …Well okay it kind of was, but there's a lot more than that. N-not that _you'd_ ever be able to see that far."

"Did something happen between you two?"

"Nah, I knew what I was dealing with going into this relationship. Rakashi-kun's a bit shallow, but he was fairly well-behaved tonight so I can't be too hard on him."

"Aw, I was kind of looking forward to that part!"

"Not like _that_, perv." _"That you'll still be getting."_ "But after our initial meet-up, you managed to keep your eyes on your own date, which couldn't have been easy with Hanna-chan's melons hanging around."

"That's because there was a more delicious piece of fruit in my grasp. I hope you don't mind me getting a little frisky with your girlfriend, Suki-san?"

"I don't, but I hardly feel we're on first-name basis."

"Well, then, I need to know your family name."

"…Oh. Makimaro."

"Thank you, Makimaro-san. And thank _you_, Katsura-chan, for changing as soon as you got home."

"Y-you're welcome…though I didn't expect it to be my skirt that was so quick to come back off."

"Well then you obviously weren't paying attention. Didn't I say the fruit I wanted was in my grasp all night long?"

"You certainly do work quickly."

"I didn't really expect this many people. And there'd be less clothing here if I were dreaming."

"Don't be so sure; dreams can be mysterious like that," Arisa said. "But it's a necessary evil, because we're supposed to be your cover story."

"Well, _I'd_ be game for some additional participants, anyway," Suki said.

"That doesn't surprise me in the least," Arisa said, "but you know full well that I'm going to have to pass."

"Even with a ratio this lopsided?"

"Four to one's still not quite lopsided enough. _Five_ to one, I'd consider, but I doubt Watagami-chan wants in on this, either."

"You guess correctly."

"Well, then, it looks like it'll just be a threesome."

"You don't want in, Suzuka?" Arisa asked.

Suzuka kissed her in response. "Not without you."

"And here I thought that was supposed to be at least _somewhat_ of a secret." Everyone turned in surprise. "At least, Shinamori-chan sure seemed adamant about keeping Shun quiet on the matter. Also, you really should lock the door when you're about to get it on, though I understand having to wait for the other girls to get in."

"Aoba-chan what are you doing here" The inflection in Katsura's voice was quick and without punctuation.

"Don't you remember? You're having a 'slumber party', which really only served to explain Hanna-chan's absence to her brothers."

"Uh-huh. And exactly why does this mean that you have to be here?"

"Because my father is a policeman and therefore wouldn't lie about that sort of thing."

"We aren't trying to _deceive_ any parents!"

"Except for the part where you've got a boy in your room. And the part where you're a bisexual," Reina said. (CCX: Hi, forgotten member of the fanclub! I'd go to another plotline, but the only het couple that hasn't legitimately parted for the night is the one right here!)

"Geez," Katsura said, putting her skirt back on. "I'm sorry, Rakashi-san, but this just isn't going to work out. I'll find you a ride home.

"Don't worry about it. His parents are already on their way. You've been 'made' from the very beginning."

"…Oneesama?"

"Sorry, Katsu-tan. Hanna-chan told me what you were up to, and I just couldn't let you do this, even if it meant getting you grounded. But look on the bright side: the _good_, _concerned_ friends who felt it better to tell your parents the truth rather than letting you proceed with something so mind-blowingly stupid are still allowed to visit you while you're grounded, so it's not like you'll be stuck all alone."

"That's…"

"Really not a huge punishment? Yes, well, even after your grounding ends, you're not allowed to date anymore until you start high school. Because what you were going to do was truly irresponsible. Consider the fact that your friends will have to come to you instead of you going to them for the next couple of weeks to be just an associated inconvenience."

"…Yes, mother."

"…So I guess they didn't actually hear what Sasukari-chan said," Suzuka whispered.

"I guess not. So, Suki, _you_ still have visitation rights, but now she's not allowed to date boys for almost two years…did you plan this?"

"That's utterly ridiculous. Han-chan was the one who came forward first, and the punishment was entirely conceived by Katsu-chan's parents. Even I'm not _that_ good."

"And that's why I'm with Suzuka instead of you," Arisa teased. "She actually _is_ that good."

Suki stuck her tongue out at Arisa, who responded by grabbing it with her own tongue. "Break it up, you two," Suzuka said, pushing them apart and quite intentionally groping both girls' breasts in the process.

* * *

><p>CCX: <em>Whoa.<em> What a marathon chapter. Never—not here, not in _Dream_ (even when it had legitimately long chapters _combined_ with lengthy A/Ns, _not that those chapters ever got published_), not anywhere—have I seen a single-chapter document read "Page 16". And that's even after an author's note a little more than halfway through got cut down in size because I was getting too preachy. Speaking of which, my apologies if this chapter wasn't of the highest quality; I've been feeling kind of crappy today, and while I don't _think_ I'm doped up on cold medication, I have been making a _lot_ more spelling errors than usual (actually, I've been doing far worse—_misusing apostrophes_), not to mention that math error (_god__**damn**__it _that is not something I should ever be doing, ever), so it's quite possible that I've been a bit loopy. Either way, this chapter never seemed to want to end, and just when I thought it was about to hit that sex scene, it turns comedic again and the lemon never happen. (That grammatical error was intentional, though, a totally out-of-place Phoenix Wright reference.) Until next time, this is CCX, signing off.

Also, if not for my recent decision to delete _The Dark Side of Prodigy_, I think this chapter would've put my total output for all fanfics combined over 500,000 words. As it is, that'll probably either happen the next time I put a chapter of something up-though whether that chapter will be _Lonely No __More _40 or _The Scarlet Devil 2: Scarlet Devil Rhapsody_ 13 is anyone's guess.


	40. Chapter 40

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 40

Disclaimer: Insert generic disclaimer here.

*June*

"Who'd have thought that getting grounded would be such a boost to my social standing?" Katsura said.

"Well, the rumors certainly help. Though I'm glad that it's over," Hanna replied.

"Yeah, I guess I am, too."

"You _guess_?"

"At least when I was grounded, I had a good excuse for being unable to date. But at least my parents won't be watching my every move anymore; having to dial things down with Suki-neesama was a real pain."

"I feel horrible about doing this to you, though. I was the one who told Sempai what you were up to…I unwittingly ended up putting her desires ahead of yours."

"You were concerned. I don't blame you at all. You were right to stop me; what I was doing was stupid. And in the end, it's all working out for the best. I mean, it's not like I have to cease all contact with the opposite sex—though obviously I'm limited to those I can come in contact with in the course of my average school day, so further trysts with high school boys are out of the question. How are things between you and Touga-san, by the way?"

"We're…still friends, actually, even though he's got a new girlfriend."

"Should I be sympathetic, or are you okay with that."

"I'm fine with that. Dating a high school boy was more your idea than mine; I just came along as your, er, winggirl."

"Good to know. I won't keep you any longer; you don't want to keep Hida-sempai waiting, after all."

"Wait, how—"

* * *

><p>"I'm surprised you actually accepted my invitation. I would've thought I'd be the last person you'd go on a date with."<p>

"This isn't a date. I'm not allowed to date, remember?"

"But that's just semantics."

"Well, you're someone my parents would probably approve of if they found out that I was still, um, 'consorting' with boys. Also, that fact works in your favor—it makes it more believable if I have to tell them that it's not a date—which it isn't. I also can't help but wonder if you're only doing this to mess with Hanna-chan's head."

"But you accepted anyway?"

Katsura smirked. "Yep."

Kuwata's smile disappeared. "Because it would allow you to mess with _my_ head on her behalf."

"_Maaaaaybe_," Katsura teased. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Does she know about…this?"

"Maybe. I mean that earnestly, by the way—I didn't outright tell her, but the fact that you gave her your class's paperwork and blew off the meeting, combined with me having knowledge that obviously came from a member of Student Council that she didn't tell me…she might suspect."

"That second part shouldn't set off any red flags. You're on pretty good terms with your own class rep, aren't you?"

"Mayu-chan? Yeah, that's true. I hadn't thought of that. Still, it's starting to feel like we're in two separate worlds."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She's spending less and less time with the rest of our group and more time with her high school friends. It's gotten to the point where it seems like outside of school, she's one of them."

Kuwata raised an eyebrow. "And is this a bad thing?"

"I wouldn't say _bad_…I mean, I guess it's not really a big deal that she didn't visit me during my grounding like the rest of the girls did, but it feels like a condemnation of my behavior. Am I just being weird? Mayu-chan doesn't seem like the type who would get condescending…at least, I don't think she is. Maybe she is? To me, she was always just 'Hanna's fangirl', which is clearly not an accurate description of her anymore. She still admires Hanna, of course, but she's her own person now, with a high school boyfriend and other high school friends entirely independent of him. So I don't know if maybe we're too immature for her now?"

"Can't really help you there. I don't know her any better than you do. Wait, was Watagami-chan included in that 'we'?"

Katsura nodded. "Hanna's able to pull off 'mature' when she needs to, which is more than I can say for myself, but she's…well, she's still immature enough to be my best friend, which says it all right there."

"Don't sell yourself short, Himiya-san. You're pretty decent at being 'mature' as well."

"I'm really not. You just don't know me well enough, so you're fooled by my refined beauty." Kuwata's only response was a blush, and Katsura giggled. "And I guess I don't know you well enough, either. So far all of my interactions with you have been through the prism of Hanna, and, well…"

"Watagami-chan and I don't get along at all," he finished.

"Your choice of honorifics suggests otherwise."

"I do it because it drives her crazy. Neither of us wants to be the first to use the proper honorific for the other one."

Katsura giggled again. "I should probably get going. Hanna-chan's meeting should be almost over, and Makimaro-sempai did promise to get the whole group together for a celebration of sorts once I was free again."

"I'm sure she wants a lot more than that."

Katsura turned bright red, having completely forgotten that Kuwata had overheard conversations between her and Hanna revealing the truth of their situation—though it wasn't exactly a _huge_ secret among the student body anyway. "I'm sure she's got more self-control than that."

"But do you?" Katsura's response to this question was to punch him in the face. Neither one enjoyed the experience very much.

* * *

><p>"Ooh. Your first day of freedom and already you have to beat back the boys?" Suki asked, noticing that Katsura's hand looked hurt.<p>

"Something like that. It wasn't his advances that made me punch him, though."

"Still, you should know better." She began to suck on the reddened area.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Though if you're not careful, we might just undermine the whole point… I probably _do_ need to work on my self-control; that's what landed me in this mess after all."

"I wouldn't change a thing about you."

"Yes you would. You're jealous of the fact that I'm still into boys."

"Am not. I like boys too, remember?"

"Really? Because a pretty girl like you should've had no trouble lining one up. You and Hayama-sempai broke up how long ago?"

"It's only been a little over a month! Anyway, can we please not talk about boys right now?"

"You're so transparent, oneesama. I can see what you're thinking right now: First, how you can get me alone and naked, and possibly also about taking me shopping again because I need new bras."

"Well, you know I can never turn down a shopping trip."

"I know. I've spent the past week or so trying to pretend that I was fine with what I had because I wanted to wait for my grounding to be over before I went shopping for new ones. And before you use that as an excuse to get my dress off, I'm not wearing a bra right now so I'm feeling just fine."

"Spoilsport."

"You'll get your chance. Tomorrow, when we go shopping and you get to strip me down and dress me up again."

"I wonder how much it would cost for you two to just _buy_ the fitting room off of them," Hanna snarked.

"You don't really think we'd use the same one?"

"_I'd_ prefer if you didn't have an encore performance at all," Mayu said.

"Huh? Oh, right, I already had a trip to the mall lined up for tomorrow anyway, didn't I?"

"It's fine, really. I asked you to help out because I knew you'd never turn down the opportunity, but I think I can handle this—it's just a matter of finding the right stores, right?"

"Wait, what—oh. Yeah, I'd rather it be just the two of us," Katsura said.

"Is there something wrong?" Suki asked.

"Well, we'd definitely have to tone things back…it would lead to certain uncomfortable questions."

"No it wouldn't. Well, okay, the fact that you showed up at this year's dance without any indication that you were bi might cause _some _questions, but I was at last year's rather specifically as Arisa's date. So I don't necessarily think it's a huge problem."

"Can you two behave yourselves?" Mayu asked.

"We'll try to keep it dialed down from last time."

"Good. Maybe I should see if Miki-san minds bringing Sakura-san along as well; she's closer to your proportions anyway."

"…Who?"

* * *

><p>*the next day*<p>

"Okay, I'm confused," Suki said. "The phrasing of that sentence suggested a little sister, but…"

"But nothing. What you see is what you get, right, Miki-_neesan_?"

Miki laughed. "Right, _imouto-chan_."

"They're fraternal twins, right? All of this big sister/little sister business is just a matter of minutes?"

"Nope. Sakura-san's the same age as Himiya-chan and me," Mayu said.

"Wow. I would not have guessed that you were younger than me."

"That's strange. She certainly appears younger than you," Miki pointed out.

"Was this the person that Izu-kun was talking about?"

"Yeah. Not knowing either one of your ages, a random stranger would probably correctly guess the age difference but not come close to the correct age."

"You've grown a bit since the last time I saw you, Ichirei-san," Suki said. "I don't suppose you need anything at our first stop?"

"First stop?"

"I've had a bit of a 'growth spurt' recently. Certain things aren't fitting the way they should," Katsura said.

"And of course, that's going to be the first stop because undergarments can't exactly be tried on before buying and of _course_ Sempai wants to _completely_ redress Himiya-san."

"Um…"

"Don't worry, I promise I won't be so 'hands-on' with you," Suki reassured Miki. "Katsu-tan's special."

"You're…was this why the three of you crashed Suzuka-san's New Year's party?"

"Yeah, Katsu-tan wanted to spend New Year's with me, even though at the time I was sort of still dating Ari-chan. But—"

"Oh, look, here we are," Mayu said quickly. "Time for you to get started. Sakura-san, I'm sure you must go through bras incredibly quickly; do you need anything? Do you know your measurements?"

Miki answered for her, and Sakura gave her sister a death glare. Katsura couldn't help but remember being groped at the dance. "Why am I not surprised? Though now I can't help but wonder if our initial meeting would've been different if you'd known that I liked girls as well."

"Neesan, you didn't…her breasts aren't even that big! Um, no offense…it's just that most of the time with me, it's envy more than anything else."

"Should I be flattered, then?"

"There'll be plenty of time for that, I'm sure," Sakura said. (A/N: Another bit of wordplay that probably doesn't actually work once you consider the fact that all dialogue is supposed to actually be in Japanese unless otherwise noted.)

"You're just saying that to make me feel better about the fact that you developed so much sooner than I did."

"Well, maybe, but genetics suggests that you'll grow eventually. Most of our female relatives on our father's side have at least a respectable endowment as well, and, well…yeah."

"…And _she_ was built just like you are—_looked_ almost just like you do."

"Okay, what just happened to the happiness in the room?"

"I'm fine. Really."

"And yet you bring an almost palpable gloom to the world," Sakura said.

"It's inevitable. The topic's going to come up. She is bl—a very close genetic relative."

"Wow. Yeah, I think we'll leave this subject alone. Why don't you pick out something you like—on me," Suki said.

"That's…generous, but I was kind of planning on sticking to the amount that I was given to work with…"

"Exactly. This wasn't part of your original plan. But I know that you actually have a boyfriend, and that the two of you…well, we all know where that went."

"Yeah; no need to rehash it," Mayu agreed.

"So you deserve some sexy lingerie."

"They make that in my size?"

"Yeah. Though just to be safe, you've got ID, right? Purchases like that can set off red flags for potential child pornography." Suki said this with a completely straight face.

"Always do. And right now I'm actually able to make good on my stock threat for those who don't believe its validity."

Sakura facepalmed. "And what threat would this be?" Suki asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know. It's both crude and disgusting," Sakura interrupted, as Miki was about to elaborate.

"Well now you've just piqued my curiosity." Miki told her, and she started cracking up. "That _is_ disgusting. And probably very effective."

"I've never actually done it, for obvious reasons. But it's fun to give people that mental image."

"I like you. Physical differences aside, you and I are cut from the same cloth. I guess that's why you and Suzu-chan are such good friends; Arisa often says how much alike we are."

"Hey, Suki-chan, what do you think of this one?!" Katsura asked, holding a brassiere up to her chest.

"You know the answer to that. I've been trying to get you to wear red more often ever since that Christmas party. You really do look great in it."

"…Which is why you gave it to her. Mayu-chan, you've been acting kind of oddly today," Sakura said. "Like you're trying to keep a secret that your friends don't know is supposed to be a secret."

"What? That's…crazy."

"I knew it."

"Do all younger sisters have that ability to crack secrets?" Katsura asked. "I tried my hardest to keep my little sister from finding out that Suki-chan and I were more than just friends, and she figured it out anyway."

"Don't I wish. I know for a _fact_ that Neechan has been keeping a secret from me for a long time—she's pretty much said as much. That there's more to the story of…well, I should probably stop there."

"That's really not nice."

"No, I know she wouldn't do that if she didn't think it was for the best. I just wish I knew what was so bad that she's kept it from me for so long."

"Hmm? What was that, Sakura-chan?"

"N-nothing, oneechan."

* * *

><p>By the time they'd reached the next store, Suki and Katsura had been filled in on the situation—that Miki was among those who still didn't know that Suzuka was bi and that it seemed that Suzuka was trying to keep it that way. Miki was amazed by the clothes that Suki was able to find. "Do you have some sort of magical shopping powers or something?"<p>

"Please; that'd be a ridiculous ability for a magical girl to have."

"Well, most 'magical girls' _are_ ridiculous."

"I don't know; they're not so bad." _"At least not the few I've met."_

"Really? I never knew you were into that kind of thing," Katsura said.

"I'm not. It's just…never mind."

"Maybe she really _is_ a magical girl," Miki said sarcastically.

"You don't seriously believe those exist, do you?" Suki replied.

"Of course not," Miki responded.

"Right." _"This day is just full of secrets, isn't it?"_ "I'm going to see how well I did picking clothes out for Katsu-tan."

"They might be awhile," Mayu warned. Suki stuck her tongue out.

"I might just have to bring my bags into the fitting room with me, too," Miki said. "Just so I can see how I look in them."

"I wonder how Izu-kun will react. You know he doesn't like the way you always seem to want to go faster than nature intends for you."

"Yeah, but I also know that he's having trouble waiting much longer for nature to do its thing."

Once they were alone in the fitting room together, Katsura asked again. "So then if you're not a closet fan of magical girls, why'd you defend them like that?"

"I'm not a fan of magical girls in general, but there are…a few of them that I like."

"Which ones? I'm not really into them, either, but Natsu-chan is so I might recognize the names."

"Nah, it's not important."

"I'm surprised you'd clam up about something as trivial as this. You can't possibly be that embarrassed…you don't look embarrassed at all. The younger me, the one that just idolized you and thought you were absolute perfection—"

"That was only a year ago."

"—would've simply thought that this was just another way in which you were _so cool_—not getting even a little flustered when something embarrassing happened. But that's not what's going on at all, is it?"

Suki hesitated. "No, it is."

"I'm not convinced. If nothing else, the fact that I've managed to get this far into changing without your unique brand of 'help' tells me that your mind is elsewhere—and it makes me think that you're concentrating on trying not to slip up."

"You look ravishing. Sorry, I'll be more hands-on." She raised Katsura's arms above her head and pulled a t-shirt onto her, which clung tightly to what little curves Katsura had.

"Thanks. This is going to bother me to no end, though…because the 'logical' conclusion of this train of thought is totally ludicrous."

"Oh? Come on, work with me."

"The only reason you'd be so dodgy about it is if Ichirei-san's sarcastic suggestion was _correct_, or at least damn close to it, and you know for a fact that magical girls _are_ real."

"You're right. That is ludicrous."

"So then that relief you're feeling is just from not being tempted by my sumptuous girl-flesh now that I'm fully dressed?"

Suki sighed. "You look good, but…perhaps I blundered. You're better off sticking with skirts."

"I know. Even the Lolinator out there has a bigger butt than I do."

Suki started laughing. "You look good. Don't worry too much about it."

"I'm not. If you were an ass woman you'd still be with Arisa-chan."

"Yeah…" _"I wonder what would happen if I'd slipped up. It's not my secret to tell—it was barely even _their_ secret to tell."_

"You're still thinking about it, aren't you? I don't suppose _they're_ the magical girls."

"You know as well as I do that that's all just fiction."

"Humor me. You're awfully quick to protest."

"Do you really think I would've broken up with a magical girl?"

"Maybe you didn't know she was one until after you broke up with her."

"…Sure, whatever." Katsura smiled, finally satisfied.

* * *

><p>CCX: Wow. Finally an entire chapter in which the only characters actually <em>appearing<em> are OCs…and yet, it's one of the few thus far where it's actually relevant that the source anime for this fic is a magical girl anime. So in between how strong a distraction _Fire Emblem Awakening_ has been (I got it for my birthday, which you'll recall is March 31), the fact that I had a major project for my online class due at the end of the month, and the fact that the Internet connection in my house pooped out yesterday and didn't come back until I accidentally managed to fix it this evening, I very nearly missed my self-imposed deadline. (Of course, my computer's been glitching out in other weird ways—it's been about an hour since the clock moved, among other things.) But I didn't—the streak lives on! Until next time, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.

…wouldn't you know it, the act of trying to actually utilize the newly restored internet connection, to post this fic, brought the clock back to reality. Also I had to copy-paste because there was something glitched when I tried to save the final document.


	41. Chapter 41

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 41

Disclaimer: The standard. Don't own…certain characters and themes.

A/N: Where did all of my buffer go?

*June*

"Thanks for coming again today," Arisa said.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Suki asked.

"I don't know, maybe a jealous girlfriend? Seriously, Katsu-chan is crazy for not keeping a better grip on you."

"Well, don't you have your own girlfriend to worry about?"

"…That obvious?"

"No way. You're not together anymore?"

"Um…technically we sort of still are, but…in the public eye, I'm still the best friend, not the girlfriend, and…" Arisa trailed off.

"How is that different than the way we were?"

"It isn't. I'm just…more jealous. I'm sorry, Suki-tan, it's not that you didn't mean as much to me; it's just…"

"Don't try to be diplomatic about it. I know that it'll never be the same. You've known Suzuka-chan for so much longer. I'm not jealous. Besides, I've got Katsura…for now, anyway."

"So then getting back together is out of the question?"

"I thought Suzuka was the one you really wanted." Arisa responded by taking Suki into an embrace and kissing her. "Yeah, I love you too…always will. But I have to at least try to make things work with Katsu-tan…and you and Suzuka-chan really do belong together."

"I hope you're right."

"You're not really worried that you'll lose out to a man, are you?"

"Well, that's one possibility…but there's also the chance that our friends aren't gone for good."

"Oh. Right." Suki laughed nervously.

"_Please_ tell me that doesn't mean what I think it means."

"No, I acted suspiciously but managed to get through it without spilling the beans. Barely. It probably helps that you've barely mentioned the three of them to Katsu-tan."

"You're really horrible at keeping secrets, aren't you?"

"Yeah…I'm not a good liar."

* * *

><p>Much to Arisa's surprise, Suzuka was waiting for her when she got home. "S-Suzu-chan?"<p>

"Geez, don't act so embarrassed. I mean, yeah, _your_ parents already know that you're a lesbian and that we're more than just friends, but a lot of people would react oddly to it."

"You still haven't told your parents that you're bisexual? And Farin-san hasn't spilled the beans yet either?" Suzuka shook her head. "So then, is this visit just as a 'best friend'?"

"Of course not. Keeping up appearances has limited our time together, and, well…" Now Suzuka was the one blushing.

"I'm _so_ glad to hear you say that. I…really thought I might be losing you."

"Arisa, you'll never lose me."

"I know. I meant—"

"I know what you meant. I meant the same thing. Arisa, I love you."

* * *

><p>CCX: Words cannot do this scene proper justice. Well, maybe someone's can, but mine can't. There just isn't much dialogue and a lot of meaningful facial expressions.<p>

* * *

><p>"Suzuka, I—"<p>

"I feel kind of bad, actually. I still haven't _really_ gotten a chance to sate my curiosity, and yet…by the time Dylan-san is ready, you and I could be…well…I shouldn't really be thinking about that. We're too young. And yet…I can't stop."

"…Is that what you think I want to hear?"

"Arisa?"

"I don't believe you. You can't possibly be thinking about _that_ when you're still too embarrassed to tell your own parents that you're bisexual."

"…I know. It's…a process. I may have exaggerated exactly how _much_ I've been thinking about it, but…I have. I'm not planning to stay in the closet forever."

"…We need to find you someone without a stigma about sex."

"Isn't that _you_?"

"You know exactly what I mean. Until you get that chance, I don't think you'll be able to admit that it isn't right for you."

"And what if it is right for me? What would you do then?"

"…Probably get back together with Suki-tan. She's trying to hold onto Katsu-chan, but I can tell that she doesn't think she'll be able."

"Well, I guess that's a pretty good fallback position."

"I'd rather have you."

"I know." She kissed Arisa.

* * *

><p>CCX: Yyyyyeah…that was definitely getting dangerously close to being an overly abrupt ending. I'm kind of in a rut right now in that I did some things to help add depth to the story and prolong it, only now I have no idea how to get back to the endgame.<p>

(So of course this means that our next cut will take us away from the canon characters completely)

* * *

><p>"Wow. You look dynamite."<p>

"I'm so glad you approve. Sakura thought you might think I was trying to 'go too fast' again. Oh, wait…that wasn't the part that she was concerned about…" Miki blushed.

"What's too fast? You look like a teenager. Which you _are_," Izei said.

"Yeah, but…"

"No buts." An accidental bilingual pun as Izei subconsciously groped Miki before moving his hand somewhere more innocuous. "Yeah, maybe you don't quite look like you'll be 17 in a couple of months, but you _do_ look like a teenager."

Miki blushed again before recovering. "You're just saying that because I piqued your curiosity about just what else it was that I bought."

Izei blushed back. "That's…that's not…I wasn't even…"

"Glad to hear it. I wouldn't mind playing hard-to-get for once." And then she spun around purposefully, intentionally letting a bra strap slip into view. Teasing Izei was so much fun.

* * *

><p>"Okay, this boy ban is really starting to get on my nerves," Katsura said. "And I think my parents are still a bit suspicious. It could get in the way of <em>us<em>."

"They won't let you spend the night away from home even at a friend's house?" Suki asked.

"It's not that they won't, unconditionally. It's that they plan to check in with the parents of whoever's house I'm staying at."

"Then we'll have to not spend the night together, or rather, to be platonic if we do."

"You and I both know that we're incapable of being platonic together."

"Okay, yeah, you're right."

"I _might_ be able to get away with a little more leniency at Hanna's house."

"The fact that she has older brothers isn't a problem?"

"Hanna-chan's my best friend. I was probably the first person she told when Atsuya-san came out to his parents. That was pretty much my first exposure to the concept of homosexuality. So, yeah, they're in the loop on that one. And Ryo-san is away at university, not to mention old enough to probably be considered a 'man' rather than a 'boy'."

"Good point. Six years is a bit much at this age."

"But I wouldn't want to do that to Hanna-chan anyway."

"She puts up with us the rest of the time."

"…Oh, right. Yeah, I guess there's that."

"You were thinking about trying to break the boy ban."

"…Yeah. Well, it's not like I could really use Hanna-chan for this one anyway."

"…Wait. Don't tell me you already have something vaguely resembling a boyfriend."

"We're…just friends."

"Your face says otherwise."

"We are! But yeah, I like him. That's just between us, though, okay?"

"I'd force you to bribe me with sexual favors, but I don't even know who this boy is."

"…Right. Thanks. You'll get your bribe regardless."

* * *

><p>CCX: It amazes me just how much I've developed. Back in the <em>Dream<em> era, five pages was considered long for a chapter, yet despite being on the fifth page, this one is considered "unbearably short", weighing in at less than half the length of the "average" chapter of _Lonely No More_. But a chapter's a chapter, and…ah, who are we kidding, that's a horrible place to end a chapter!

* * *

><p>"I…I know you have your reasons for wanting to go slow. I <em>respect<em> those reasons, admire them, even. But I'm _really_ in love with Arisa-chan, enough to be dreaming about spending my _life_ with her. And yet I can't even work up the courage to come out publicly. Ari-chan thinks that the fact that I've yet to properly sate my curiosity is what's holding me back from coming out, so unless you'd be willing to step up, we're going to have to go our separate ways."

*BEEP!*

"And I know it was completely chickenshit—[chickenshit]—I hope I used that correctly—that it was a complete chickenshit move to call you at a time when I was absolutely positive you wouldn't answer, but I wanted to say everything I had to say without interruption, and I wanted to make sure you were the only one who heard it, and of course if we _do_ break up, no one can know the real reason why… I guess I did it this way to make the break-up easier. Maybe we can at least pretend to hate each other. Though of course, I'd _rather_ our relationship just get _stronger…_"

* * *

><p>CCX: <em>That's<em> more like it. Until next time!


	42. Chapter 42

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 42

Disclaimer: My ownership is still less than 100%.

*June*

"Arisa…?"

"Yes?"

"[What the _hell_ were you thinking!?]"

"[Gaaah! What's wrong, Dylan-san?]"

"[You know full well what's wrong. Suzuka-chan's no longer happy with waiting. She said, and I'm paraphrasing here, that if I don't put out, it's over.]"

Arika cursed under her breath. "Of all the times for Suzuka to regain her moral compass… [That wasn't my idea! My plan was for…you know what, forget my plan. It was stupid and it would've probably ended your relationship anyway.]"

"[Go on.]"

"I say you should go for it. You'll never find a better girl."

"[Not interested in hearing your tales of her…prowess.]"

"[I didn't mean it _that_ way.]"

"[…Well, you're not exactly unbiased.]"

"[Okay, you want to hear it? _My_ plan would've had her just finding someone else to be her first heterosexual encounter, no break-ups necessary.]"

"[You mean cheating on me.]"

Arisa nodded. "[But apparently that's just not in her nature. Multiple partners is fine, but going behind a boyfriend's—or girlfriend's—back? Not so much so.]"

"[…You know the story, right? You and Suzuka share everything, so I imagine you must.]" Arisa nodded again. "[So then you know why I can't chance it. I _can't_ leave behind a child in a foreign country, and the only 100% effective method of birth control is abstinence.]"

"…So then it's as we figured. You're only here for a year, and you're not planning on returning for university."

"Yeah. I mean, I'll probably do a year abroad in college, too, but it probably won't even be in Japan."

"Europe?"

"[No, definitely Asia. Probably one of the _other_ countries in which the US waged a war in the mid-20th century. My Korean's not as good as my Japanese, but I'm working on it.]

"[Whythe fascination with Asia?]"

"[You mean besides your good looks?]" He grinned. "[Well, I guess it's because it's still somewhat of a mystery—though not so much Japan. Just a few decades ago, the United States' "greatest enemy" was Russia, but now they're every bit as amicable as the rest of Europe. The new "cold war" is with the likes of China and North Korea. Well, and Iran, but they're something completely different, whereas China and North Korea are both controlled by America's old enemies, the Communists.]"

"I'm not entirely sure I follow your reasoning."

"I'm not entirely sure I _have_ reasoning."

"…So then what's the big deal? This relationship was never going to be permanent, anyway, was it?"

"I know, but…"

"She shouldn't hear it from me. If you break her heart, I _will_ hunt you down, no matter _where_ in the world you end up."

"…"

* * *

><p>"Suzuka-chan…can you please reconsider? Just for…a little while?"<p>

"…Dylan-san?"

"It's not like…our relationship could last for very long anyway. You know I'm only here for a year, right?"

"I suspected. So then…it's over?"

"Well, I was hoping not…I mean, I won't make you wait the whole year, but I can't exactly use 'I didn't want you to be hung up on me when I leave' as an excuse when I'm still here for more than 9 more months. Speaking of which…I'm going to be visiting home during summer break. I was _hoping_ to bring you with me; got an extra ticket and everything. You know, before you made that call."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?!" Suzuka suddenly perked up and kissed Dylan.

"So shallow. Good to know you can be bribed."

"Hey, it's not often I get to visit another country. I've got to make sure my passport's in order!"

"So we're…"

"Still together? Yeah. You've at least earned a reprieve." _"And _I've_ earned an opportunity to find a guy I'll never see again for a guilt-free fling. Just like you wanted, right, Arisa-chan?"_

* * *

><p>*early July* (AN: Ha! Still running ahead of the calendar!)

"I'll miss you! Take good care of Arisa for me, Suki-tan!"

"Mine!" Katsura saidpossessively, grabbing Suki's arm and sticking her tongue out. All four girls laughed.

"Glad to hear you're still thinking that way," Arisa smiled.

"…Huh? Did I do something to make you doubt my commitment?"

"No, nothing you've done has shaken my faith in you," Arisa said. _"After all, it's Suki who has doubts. Any doubts of mine are put there by her."_

"Ehehe, well, I promise I'll make some time for Arisa-chan, too." She covertly sent Arisa a one-word text: "nights". Arisa understood: Katsura's parents were still being a bit overprotective, so even if Suki and Katsura spent all day together, every day, they still wouldn't be spending many nights together. The nighttime, therefore, could be Arisa's time.

Arisa wondered just one thing. "How are you going to explain all of that?"

"What's there to explain? The fact that I'm not spending _more_ time with you?"

"…Suki?"

"Funny story…see, the two of us have still been having more 'sleepovers' than Katsu-tan and I have had—even before the ban, it was fairly close. There really isn't much reason at all for my parents to suspect that _she's_ my girlfriend, and I…I didn't exactly correct the misunderstanding. It's not like I don't still _want_ you. Desperately."

Arisa frenched her right there. "Damnit, Suki, you can't be saying things like that. We _both_ have other girlfriends. Though you've got me a bit confused…"

"I came out. Made sure that my parents were able to hear me when I laid out 'the rules' for Kasu-kun."

"…Does Katsu-chan know that you've got a new boyfriend?" Arisa asked.

Suki nodded. "She's surprisingly cool with it. Probably inwardly hoping for a threesome, though…she's so frustrated lately."

* * *

><p>CCX: New rules! Since we're in America now, the "default" <em>will<em> be English. To avoid making it confusing, instead of [], conversations between Suzuka and Dylan in Japanese will be marked by {}.

* * *

><p>*early July—Louisville International Airport*<p>

"Hey, Dylan!"

"Dad? Hey!" Dylan ran up to his father. "I would've thought you'd still be at work."

"Took off early so I could pick you up. Jackson's team is still alive in the playoffs, so your mother couldn't be here."

"Really? That's great! Hopefully they can win again today so I can see them play."

Suzuka stood there nervously, uncertain as to whether or not she should interrupt this reunion. Dylan quickly remembered that Suzuka would probably wait for a proper introduction and took care of it. "Dad, this is my girlfriend, Suzuka Tsukimura. Suzuka, this is my father."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Keith." She bowed, knowing that it wasn't really the right tradition for America but a bit too nervous to try experimenting with customs she wasn't used to.

Mr. Keith let out a sigh of relief. "Good, you speak English. Pleasure to meet you, Suzuka."

Suzuka laughed nervously. "Enough to get by. My English isn't as good as Dylan's Japanese." She turned to Dylan. "{What were you and your father talking about? I caught some of it, but it went by too quickly.}"

"{Did it really? I've lapsed into English with you before and you've seemed to follow along just fine.}"

"{It's different. You probably don't even realize you're doing it, but you _do_ slow down for me. Sometimes I miss little bits of conversations in English between you and Arisa, too. You understand, right? It's different when both sides of the conversation are speaking their native language?}"

"{Yeah, I guess it is. Wait, does that mean Arisa's 'native language' is actually English?}"

Suzuka laughed. "{Arisa's been raised to be fluent in both languages.}"

"{Ah. Anyway, I was just surprised to see my dad here instead of my mom, and Dad explained that my younger brother's baseball team went deeper into the playoffs this year than usual and so she's with him instead.}"

"Um, no offense, but…are there going to be a lot of these conversations that none of us are privy to?"

Suzuka smiled. "That depends on how often I need a translator. For example… {What does "privy" mean?}" Dylan explained the word, including other meanings that weren't necessarily relevant to this situation, making Suzuka laugh. "Okay, yeah, that's what I thought." She snickered. "More or less…"

Suddenly Mr. Keith wondered if by allowing their son to bring his girlfriend with him, they might as well not have him back home at all.

* * *

><p>"You already got him? Straight out of work? Dad!"<p>

"Sorry, Junior. Didn't realize you were that excited to see Dylan."

"Why else wouldn't I be with Mom and Julia?"

"I was at work; how was I to know that? Besides, you're a grown man now. You could've been with some girl."

"On that subject…Johnny, this is Suzuka. Suzuka, this is my older brother Johnny…I mean, John. Only family is still allowed to call him 'Johnny'."

"Oh, right, I forgot you were bringing a girl back with you. Nice to meet you, Suzuka."

He extended his hand for a handshake, which Suzuka nervously gave as she returned the greeting. "Sorry," she said afterwards, "I'm not used to American-style greetings."

"That's okay. You understood all of that between me and my dad?"

"Yes, though the words seemed to run together for me."

"So that means if I talk fast enough, you won't be able to understand me?" He grinned.

Suzuka smiled back. "Yes, there's a good chance of that. But I could still get some of what you say, while I can say almost anything to Dylan in front of all of you and none of you would even be able to guess what I'm saying. Other than to watch how he reacts, that is."

"…Did she just imply what I think she just implied?"

"I certainly hope not," Mr. Keith said.

"It's fine. She's bluffing; I don't _know_ any 'naughty' Japanese words and my friends have made a point of not teaching them to me."

"{So then I guess you don't consider your teammates 'friends'? Because from what I've heard, they've taught you some pretty foul language. But I don't need 'naughty' _words_ to talk dirty to you. I could just tell you how much I want to 'choke up on your bat', for example.}" She left her mouth open for a moment to make sure he knew that the word "up" was largely superfluous there.

Dylan turned red, and Suzuka smiled. "You were saying, little bro?"

"I stand by my statement of not knowing the words to 'properly' talk dirty. However, I may have underestimated the power of descriptive metaphors."

"I like your style, Suzuka."

"Thank you. Now, I'm just curious; your father called you 'Junior'. Does that mean that his given name is 'John' as well?"

"That's right. Dad's the _real_ 'John Keith Jr.'; I'm actually John Keith III. But it's probably best if you continue to call him 'Mr. Keith'."

"No worries. Calling people by their family names is _normal_ in Japan."

"Should we be calling you 'Tsukimura', then?" Mr. Keith asked.

"It's fine; this is America, so we're doing things American-style. I figured that out as soon as Dylan introduced me to you in Western order."

"'Western order?'"

"In most Asian countries, Japan included, the proper name order is family name, _then_ given name. So the 'first name' actually _would_ be the one that you would call them by. Of course, if you're sufficiently familiar with someone, like a close friend, then you can call them by their given name. Anyone that you're supposed to 'respect', though, must be referred to by the proper title. I've already committed what would be a huge gaffe in Japanese culture in the time I've been here, calling my older sibling by name."

"…Seriously?"

"Yeah. A younger sibling doesn't necessarily have to be called by their title, but I'd just have to call you 'big brother'."

"Um, Dylan? You were kind of moving too quickly for me to follow again."

"It's nothing you don't already know. Explaining the differences between our cultures."

* * *

><p>"Wow. Barely back home two hours and you're already hooking up?"<p>

"That's not it at all. You know full well I don't 'hook up', Jake." Dylan made sure Suzuka caught the name. "I just thought it would be nice to treat my girlfriend to a vacation in America."

"Ah—oh. Please don't tell me you made the same mistake I did."

"Not yet, but I'll wear him down eventually."

Jake just stared wide-eyed at Dylan, having become three different kinds of surprised. First, that Suzuka had understood him; second, that Dylan had shared his story with her; third, weren't Japanese women supposed to be more prim and proper than that? "You didn't…then she already…"

"Knows about you and Cassie? Yeah. Turns out that hormonal teenagers are every bit as hormonal in Japan. And our influence on them post-war has led to the old stereotype _starting_ to fall by the wayside…"

"Oh my god. It's the 'Catholic schoolgirl' principle applied to an _entire nation_."

"That's…kind of crude, but perhaps not _entirely_ inaccurate. Although I don't think the people I've come to associate with are exactly the norm. Sorry that I had to use you as a precautionary tale. And, Suzuka…{I can't believe you'd be that forward about your desires.}"

"{What's one more person? I basically confessed as much to far more people the first day we met, when I told Miki off.}"

"{…What?}"

"{Yeah, I know I said I wasn't going to teach you what that meant, but now I've changed my mind. What I said was, in rather crude terms, 'take out your aggression on someone whose babies I don't want to have'.}"

Dylan winced, remembering that his first encounter with Miki involved being kicked in the nuts. "{Your level of forwardness is definitely not average for Japan. Or even for America.}"

"Okay, now I feel left out. Care to clue me in on what's going on?"

"Just telling Suzuka how _unbelievable_ she is."

"{That's what I keep wanting to show you, but you're too afraid to learn.}" Suzuka shot back with a grin. "Sorry. I'm just teasing Dylan a bit. It's rude to keep speaking in Japanese, though, and I…apologize for that."

"…T's'okay."

* * *

><p>CCX: I did say "<em>likely<em> will have no real effect on anything to follow it." This trip to Kentucky wasn't exactly planned, and then suddenly I realized that we needed another summer vacation arc, and why not split the main cast up? More involving Arisa back in Japan while Suzuka's in America will _probably_ come next chapter. Until then, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	43. Chapter 43

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 43

Disclaimer: As always, less than 100%.

A/N: Ha…strange holiday to be making so many fanfics, or fanfic chapters, for. I've only actually made one Christmas fic—_this_ one, or rather the one-shot that it spawned from (although due to the length of time that this fic covered, it's had a second Christmas chapter, that doesn't even really count since that chapter came out somewhere around last _August_)—but here we are, for the second time in three years, entering the second half of the year in festive fashion. Conservation of detail, you know; never said just _how_ early in July it was. (I actually started this in June…)

*the next day—July 4*

"Good morning, Suzuka!"

"Oh. Good morning, Julia. What's with the futon?"

"You mean the cot? You're in the bed."

"I thought this was the guest bedroom."

"It is. I just use it as my room because it's gotten to the point where sharing a room with my twin is kind of awkward."

"Of course. Were you just waiting for me to wake up?"

"…Kind of. Today's a big day, and while I'm sure you'll want to be with Dylan tonight, I was hoping you could make some time for me, too. Most of my cousins are boys, too, so I always feel kind of out of place at family gatherings."

"Your extended family is visiting today?"

"Actually, we're going to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Family barbecues are a Fourth of July tradition!"

"…Right. Today's a national holiday in the US. That's why the airport was so crowded yesterday." Julia nodded.

* * *

><p>CCX: Um…like I said, I was originally going to try to have this out in time for the holidays, and instead I broke the streak. Let's head back to our crew in Japan.<p>

* * *

><p>"That's…let me guess; your parents again?" Hanna asked.<p>

"Yeah. Bad enough that they're insisting on chaperoning us, but this swimsuit is awful. I think Natsume-chan's probably got a better shot of landing a boy today than I do."

"Look on the bright side, oneechan; if I _do_, it might distract them enough to at least let you get in some time with Suki-neesan."

"…This might end up being the worst trip to the beach ever."

* * *

><p>CCX: …Yeah, I've got nothing. At least this provided an interrupt which allows us to jump ahead to the Keith family gathering.<p>

* * *

><p>"So we get Dylan back for the summer <em>and<em> the exchange student?"

Dylan laughed. "No, actually, I'm not sure what happened to the exchange student my parents were supposed to be hosting. I just decided to bring a guest on my visit home. Kyle, this is my girlfriend, Suzuka Tsukimura. Suzuka, this is my cousin, Kyle Barrett." (CCX: Dylan's father and Kyle's mother are brother and sister, hence the different last names.)

"Nice to meet you."

"Ah, nice to meet you too."

Suzuka smiled. "No one ever expects me to speak English, do they?"

"Nope and I guess you're off now." Julia had already taken Suzuka by the hand and was eagerly leading her onwards.

"Eh, don't be too hard on her. I'm sure Katie will be happy that it's not just her and Julia, too."

"Just as well. She'll probably get into less trouble that way."

"…Eh?"

"Never mind." _"Suzuka wouldn't be _that_ blatant…would she?"_

* * *

><p>"Seriously, I'm the only guy in the group <em>again<em>?" Izei asked.

"Well, about half this group is single by parental mandate, and Arisa-san is a lesbian, so…yeah," Miki replied.

"What happened to your friend Aoba-chan? Wasn't she the one who got you into this 'clique' in the first place?"

"She's with her boyfriend."

"Exactly my point."

"I'm a bit surprised that Suki-tan didn't bring her new boyfriend, though," Arisa said, before adding in a whisper to Suki alone, "Especially seeing as how her _girlfriend_ can't exactly be seen getting too close to her on this trip."

"You're complaining _why?_" Suki responded, kissing her. "You've always put on a much better show, anyway."

"Yeah, but who are you putting on a show for?"

"Hey, I've got to look out for my girls. Bring the boys over and let them go to work. Your nondescript friend would probably appreciate it too, right?"

"What do you mean, 'nondescript'?!" Kaburagi replied. (CCX: She really is forgettable, isn't she?)

"Yeah, Kaburagi's got plenty going for her! She just…hasn't had much luck getting any boys to notice."

"Well, that should change on this trip. After all, there aren't any cheerleaders hanging around this time."

"That's the spirit! Sure, it's hard for _anyone_ to stand out when Makimaro-san's around, but you're like the fourth-biggest one here, Kagurabi-san!" Miki said.

"…It's _Kaburagi_. And the fact that I'm still being out-boobed by a pair of girls three years my junior isn't exactly comforting."

"Try living with one."

"…Point."

* * *

><p>"…<em>Wow.<em> How'd your older brother manage to land such a gorgeous girlfriend?"

"I guess standards vary from country to country. I often wondered how I managed to land _him_."

"Your command of the English language might have helped."

"His Japanese is better than my English. I'm probably better than most of my classmates, though, because my best friend is half-American and half-Japanese and is fluent in both languages."

"…So is Dylan really considered a catch?"

"Yeah. A lot of other girls are jealous. You don't look like you'd have any trouble landing a boyfriend if you so desired, though—unless our image of Americans is true and you really _do_ all look like that."

"You mean blonde and blue-eyed? No, we don't. I'm not even light enough to properly 'take advantage of' being blonde."

"Don't forget 'tall' and 'stacked'. You're a few years younger than me, right? But we could probably share clothes easily."

"Ah, that's right…you're in Dylan's class, so that would make you 17. And I'm 14…"

"And yet you're of remarkably similar shapes."

"Let me guess—all of the _real_ men in our family didn't want you around?"

"Aw, Katie, lighten up. It's…okay, yes, it _is_ getting to the point where it's weird having him so close all the time, but it's hard to ignore that twin thing," Julia tried to mediate.

"Ah, yes, that's the other reason why I was so happy to see another girl here. Julia's fine company, but the thing about twins is that it's hard to separate them."

"You and Jackson don't get along?"

"There's a stereotype in other parts of the country that incest is prevalent in these parts. Jackson's the type of person responsible for that image."

"You wish. At least then _someone_ would be interested in you."

"Have they always been like this?"

"No, only since Katie started growing boobs. So it's understandable why she feels that way. I'm pretty sure Jackson just likes to tease her, though. And Katie teases right back, because being the youngest, he's an easy target."

"Not for long."

"No, you'll always be the youngest of our generation. Mike's our cousin, so this new addition will be the first of a new one, even if he or she will be about as close to our age as Mike is."

* * *

><p>"Well, so much for being able to help you," Natsume said. "With those death glares they're giving out, making you wear that awful swimsuit was just overkill."<p>

"Speaking of 'death-glares'…," Yuriko said.

"Wouldn't have pegged you as the beach type," Hanna said coolly.

"I could say the same about you, but it seems that you don't dislike such shameless displays nearly as much as you claim to," Kuwata replied.

"There's nothing 'shameless' about this. Or were you hoping for a wardrobe malfunction?"

"You're not the one whose wardrobe seems to be malfunctioning."

"I don't need to hear that from you, too. My parents are _way_ too overprotective; I'm surprised they haven't already descended upon us upon hearing a male voice."

"The sexual tension between Kuwata-san and Hanna-san speaks volumes louder than a person ever could," Yuriko said.

"_THERE IS NO SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN US!_" Hanna and Kuwata both shouted.

"_Right_. Sure there isn't."

"Even I can see it, and I'm only 11," Natsume added.

"The beach probably isn't the best place for it, though. No offense, but you'd look much better in a classroom setting than you do here, while Hanna-chan is, um…"

"More stacked than you are?" Yuriko asked.

"I, um, wasn't going to say that," Sakura replied, "even though it's true…"

"Stop it. You do _not_ have the right to get breast envy," Katsura interjected.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Kuwata asked.

"No, I don't go to the same school as all of you," Sakura replied. "I'm Ichirei Sakura."

"Kuwata Shirou."

"Um, what I said before…it's not to say that you're _not_ okay as is…"

"That's, um, I should be going now."

"…Damnit. Finally got a guy through _one_ barrier, and another one comes to scare him off. Why'd you have to go and start flirting with him, Sakura-san?"

"…Wait, did I mess something up? I thought I was helping out, getting him away from you…"

"You did just fine," Hanna said.

"_Speak for yourself," _Katsura thought bitterly.

Once her father was a safe distance away, Sakura continued, "Although, if my father _hadn't_ shown up to scare him off, I'd be fine with that too."

"You _can't_ be serious."

"I kind of have a weakness for the bookish type. I know, I'm weird…"

"That's not it. Kuwata's just an arrogant prick."

"…He didn't seem so bad."

"He isn't; Hanna-chan's just had a long-standing rivalry with him."

"And yet you're willing to put in a good word for him?" Sakura wondered.

"Uh…"

"Katsura-chan's just a bit desperate for male attention."

"Um, yeah," Katsura was grateful that her friend hadn't pressed the issue.

* * *

><p>"Your family is…quite interesting."<p>

"Let me guess; Katie and Jackson going at it again?"

"Has it really been bad for that long?"

"Oh, it's always been bad. Jackson's the youngest in our extended family—on my dad's side, anyway—and he always kind of got excluded from our games for being too little, so he often had to play with Katie and Julia. I don't think Katie was ever too happy about it, so she used to mock him mercilessly for being too much of a girl to play with the boys, even though none of us ever said anything like that."

"That's mean."

"Yeah. I'm surprised Jackson hasn't done anything about it yet but I guess his code of chivalry's too strong."

"Code of what?"

"Chivalry. Basically the idea that men are supposed to be polite and respectful to women."

"And what was stopping him when they were younger?"

"If she'd ever wanted to, _Katie _probably could've joined in at any time. You'd never know it by the way she acts, but she's probably as tough as any of us, or at least she was when we were littler. Biology always catches up, though, so Jackson could _probably_ take her in a fight _now_. Assuming, of course, that things don't start getting weird."

"So the rest of the family feels like there's something…{incestuous}, going on there, too?"

"I'm not really sure what you just said, and I'm assuming you don't know how to say it in English, so we're going to have to stay disconnected on that one."

"Um…'incest'. As an adjective."

"'Incestuous'?"

"That."

Dylan chuckled. "Not _really_, but just enough that if they ever actually came to blows there's a chance that hormones would take over."

"Should I start a fight with you, then?"

"You're insatiable." He kissed her.

"Nah. _{You just won't go far enough.}_"

"{Well, I'm sorry I can't please you the way Arisa can.}"

"{You don't know that until you try.}"

* * *

><p>"Well, it looks like they didn't need my help. Hanna-chan's really bringing them in."<p>

"Think they realize she's only 13?" Arisa asked.

"14. No, wait, you're right, she's still 13 at the moment."

"Oh, is her birthday coming up soon?"

"The seventh."

* * *

><p>CCX: I haven't decided if this is taking place on the fourth, a bit earlier than action in America, or on the fifth, a bit later. I just know that due to time zone differences, these two halves can't possibly be taking place simultaneously. Also, please excuse me if I already gave Hanna's birthday and forgot about it; I'm going to have to start making notes of birthdays on my character list…although if I'm not mistaken, Katsura's the only other one to be given an exact birthday so far, although Kanna's is known to be in August and Miki's has also been implied to be in August; also Natsume's is known to be in either the summer or the autumn, as her age was first given as 10 in a chapter set in June, then as 11 in one set at Christmastime, and now she's still 11 the following July so she wasn't on the verge of turning 11 when introduced.<p>

CC: On that note, thanks to Jackson's interruption, Suzuka never got the chance to correct Katie if need be—and her assumption would be a logical one since Dylan's graduating high school in 2014. I still haven't found any canon character birthdays, so I'm going to avoid ever stating for sure when they've had their birthdays for the school year.

CCX: I keep forgetting if I gave Suki a birthday, though…

* * *

><p>"Well, still. Those guys look like they've got to be at least my age."<p>

"Katsu-tan's parents are going out of their minds, of course…I should extricate her."

"Forget the Himiyas; Ichirei-san is absolutely livid, and with good reason. Erm, not that your Katsura-chan isn't gorgeous as well…"

"It's fine; I know that she doesn't look her best today."

"How does she not get sunburned?"

"Lots and lots of sunscreen. _And_ spray tan, which her parents were mad at me for getting her but she really needs it. I mean, _I_ love her pale skin tone but it's just not 'summery' enough."

"Heh. I thought that seemed a bit dark."

"Hey. Katsu-tan. Come on, let's leave Hanna-chan in peace."

"You know that's not going to work."

"Why not?"

"Because now they've noticed _you_."

"Well, then, I guess I'll just have to make it clear that I'm not available."

Katsura winced. This was going to be the end of her relationship with Suki…now that her parents knew the true nature of their relationship, it would be forbidden…

It never came. "Suki-tan, are you playing around with the boys again? You know how jealous I get when you do that." Katsura had never been religious, but she was thanking a higher power. Arisa had just saved her. Well, sort of—her parents _did_ just learn that Suki wasn't straight, but at least they didn't know that she was in a relationship with her. "_Showtime,_" Arisa whispered to Suki.

Suki shook her head. "Thanks for the 'rescue', but we can't be too overt in front of the Himiyas. They think I'm straight, and I want to keep it that way."

* * *

><p>"Well, that got them off of my back. And one less parent watching us like a hawk," Hanna said.<p>

"Oh, trust me; as long as you're near me, my father will be watching like a hawk."

"It's kind of a double standard that he only gets that way with you."

"Not really. He was like that with both of us until neesan started high school; more with her, actually, because I was too young to really be dating. Then I started developing right as she reached high school, and, well…"

"Yeah. We're in the same boat. Except I'm _not_ that developed," Katsura said.

"It's your own fault that your parents are so strict with you," Hanna chided.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Still, we probably have a better chance entering the fray."

"I don't think you're quite ready to 'enter the fray' just yet."

"Right on time, Mai-chan."

"You're a horrible influence on me, you know that, right?"

Katsura grinned as she took the delivery and went off to change. "Yep."

* * *

><p>CCX: Man, I didn't realize how boring Suzuka's end would be. I ended up sticking back with the other girls because nothing was going to happen over on Suzuka's end. Until next time, CCX, signing off.<p> 


	44. Chapter 44

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 44

Disclaimer: As always, less than 100%.

*July*

"How'd you manage to not get in trouble?" Suki asked.

"I managed to convince my parents that they were going overboard. They stopped watching super-close just in time to not notice the bikini," Natsume answered. "How'd you manage to keep the boys' attention?"

"Simple," Arisa replied. "I explained the _truth_—that _I_ wasn't really her girlfriend, and that her real girlfriend was the one with the overbearing parents who don't know she's bi."

"The magic word." Suki smiled. "I don't understand why…oh, wait, yes I totally do."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You _shouldn't_ be thinking about that, Natsu-chan."

"I'm not a little girl anymore. Um…blame Kasumi-chan; she was the one who brought one to school in her bag. It intrigued me, and I borrowed it, and…please don't tell my parents about my new hobby."

"They grow up so fast."

"She's at the right age to start seeing boys in a romantic fashion. But, yeah, who'd have thought she'd be reading yaoi manga? But back to today; how are you still to be trusted in my room?"

"Simple. We sold it well enough as a ploy rather than being genuine."

"…So my parents think you _faked_ an attraction to girls today?"

"The fact that I very nearly blew _our_ cover helped. Ignorance is bliss, I suppose. Now, then, let's see this budding yaoi collection."

"…Suki at her finest," Arisa deadpanned.

"Hey, I've never claimed to be a prude. I'm comfortable in my sexual identity."

"Which is?"

"In favor of it."

* * *

><p>By now, the tension had spilled over into the main room. "Could the two of you please stop that?" asked the oldest cousin, Mike.<p>

"You know all of that 'bad energy in the environment affects the baby' shit is a load of hooey, right?" asked his younger brother, Steven. "Just make out already, you two!"

"You're just impatient because if they take until after 4:00 PM, you won't win the pool," the youngest brother of the three said.

"What can I say, Phil? I really didn't expect it to take very long at all." (A/N: Originally I was going to give Mike, Steven, and Phillip the last name Keith as well, but then I realized that since Dylan's father is a "Jr.", he's probably the first son, so unless he started really late and his younger brother started really early, it makes more sense to have the oldest cousins be Keiths on their mother's side. It actually went girl, boy, boy, girl—Katie and Kyle's mother is the youngest, but stopped at two kids—Kyle being only a year older than Dylan and Katie being a year older than the twins.)

"They took _bets_ on how long it would take?" Suzuka asked incredulously.

"Yeah. I'm hoping they can get through today's gathering; my money's on Thanksgiving. You a friend of cousin Dyl?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah…a friend."

"Girlfriend," Dylan corrected.

"Right. Girlfriend." Suzuka tried not to blush. "I mean, you don't just bring a _friend_ home with you, right? Even if it's only for a visit?"

"Of course. Forgive me, where are my manners. I'm Thomas Keith, Jr. Everyone here calls me Tommy, though, and most of my friends at school call me Tom."

"Ah…my name's Suzuka Tsukimura. Sorry it's so long…"

"It's fine, Suzuka. Are you enjoying America so far?"

"Well, I haven't been here very long; we just arrived yesterday. But…so far, it seems enjoyable." _"Hold it together, Suzuka; now's not the time to be looking!"_

"How have things been back here, Tommy?" Dylan asked. "Still seeing that girl from your math class?"

"It was biology, not math…and, no, sadly, I'm not. Do you not get Facebook in that part of the world?"

"I don't pay attention to people who complain about their relationship problems on Facebook," Dylan shot back. "But that is a shame; you really had a good one there. Smart, good-looking…"

"…Sweet as can be," Tommy continued.

"Well, I wouldn't be able to speak for that, having never actually met her in person. I'll take your word for it." He put an arm around Suzuka. "Actually, now that I say it aloud, it kind of sounds like Suzuka."

"Maybe so. You certainly _seem_ nice enough, though I've only just met you, and you're certainly not a bad-looking girl…though I still prefer Stephanie…" He cleared his throat. "But she's in the past now."

"No comment on 'smart'? You're the first person who hasn't shown any surprise at my proficiency with English."

"My apologies, then. I guess the fact that I heard your voice before I saw your face kind of derailed that. It's odd, though; I detect a hint of an accent other than 'Japanese speaking a secondary language' in there. Certain words sound different from what I'd expect to be taught in an ESL class."

"ESL?"

"English as a Second Language."

"Well, my best friend back in Japan has an American father and a Japanese mother; spending time with her has helped my English quite a bit. I guess maybe I picked up some of her accent."

"Yeah, that would probably do it."

"Huh. I hadn't really noticed because it's not that pronounced, but yeah, I hear it now. And it definitely is Arisa's influence."

"You're close with the best friend, too?"

"Well, it's nice to have someone who speaks both English and Japanese fluently. Every so often, there's a word that I don't know how to say in Japanese and Suzuka doesn't know how to say in English."

"Case in point today, when I tried to note that the rest of the family was picking up some _incestuous_ vibes from Jackson and Katie. Although there's nothing _vibes_ about _that._"

"Ha ha! I win!" Steven cried out.

"That doesn't count!" Phillip returned.

"Does so. So what if they skipped a step?"

"It was an _accident_. Geez, even _I_ don't think he did that on purpose, though I'm still mad at him for trailing me closely enough for it to happen."

"No concern for me?" Jackson asked.

"You're fine. I'm more worried about Hairball."

"That cat tripped me!"

"Yeah, but your head landed on something soft. Namely, _me._"

"I'm sorry."

"…I forgive you. Just don't let it happen again."

"…and just like that, they're not fighting."

"Now you see why we think there's something more between them. For all of their bickering, in the end, they're pretty close."

"We are not. Katie's a bully, which is why none of the boys want to get close to her in spite of her ample physical assets."

"Only to you, because you're an annoying little prick."

"I feel _two_ little pricks in this hug, and I'm pretty sure neither of them belongs to me."

Katie threw him to the ground. "You disgusting…"

"Calm down, Katie." Suzuka put an arm around her and tried to lead her off—as well as potentially cop a feel, having become intrigued by what Jackson had suggested. Not that she'd be able to surreptitiously get at the nipples to see if they were as hard as he'd implied.

"Grr…that _IDIOT!_" Katie let herself be led away.

"Something bothering you?"

"He does those things to me and then has the nerve to call me on my body reacting in a natural way?"

"It didn't look like he did _that_ much…"

"Yeah. Just enough to get me…well…hard. I'm going to be in the bathroom for a bit. Stand guard to make sure nobody tries to get in there."

"So he wasn't lying about that?"

"Suzuka, what's with that perverted look?"

"Hey, I understand how wildly teenage hormones run. Truth be told…and don't tell _anyone_ about this…if Dylan hadn't offered to take me to America, I might not even still be with him right now. I'm at a particularly 'curious' phase, and wouldn't you know it, I hooked up with a total prude who actually _wants_ to wait to have sex. What kind of guy is like that?!"

"You'll have to calm down if you want to keep this secret. Although I doubt they'd be able to get the context from what they'd heard. So, cousin Dylan's not putting out enough for you? …Damn it I didn't need to know that about my cousin."

"That's pretty much the size of it."

"And by 'curious' you mean…"

"Whether I've been deluding myself all this time labeling myself as 'bi'."

"That's…what I was afraid of. So then this is really turning you on right now?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. I may be putting on a calm façade at the moment, but inside, I kind of want to join in—be it by taking over for you or just getting to work myself."

"Awkward. Does Dylan know you're bi?"

"Yeah. Not many do know that for a fact, though I generally try to keep people guessing. My parents still think I'm straight, though, as does Dylan's family. _Immediate_ family; you're family, too, after all. Come to think of it, why _aren't_ you freaking out more?"

"Because you're still a good enough person to restrain yourself. And because kicking you out now would mean having to unlock and open the door and I really don't want to have to do that at this point."

"I'll just…turn around."

"Uh, well…I guess four hands _would_ be better than two…it'd get it over with quicker."

"Have I stumbled into a harem anime? I really feel like I've stumbled into a harem anime. No, no; might as well, if you're offering," Suzuka stopped Katie before she could cover her breasts again. "Hm…yeah, you and I _are_ about the same size."

"We should totally come out in each other's clothes, just to fuck with their heads."

"Nah, I don't think so. …it's just not the same. I don't think I've ever just used my hands before, without there being any passion in it."

"Is that what the problem was? And here I was thinking that your technique on girls still needed more work."

"I'm sure Arisa and Suki would find that notion hilarious."

"Girlfriends?"

"…Something like that. There had been a love triangle at one point, but it seems to have more or less worked itself out."

"…I think this is as far as this goes. Not even a little wet."

"Still hard, though."

Katie blushed. "Yeah, still hard. Maybe it's just because they've been exposed to the air."

"…Shall I warm them up for you?"

* * *

><p>"Ah, fancy running into you, Kuwata-san…this must be what they call serendipity."<p>

"Is it really, or were you waiting for a chance to approach me?"

"I would never do something so duplicitous. I just got lucky. I mean, I can't do anything that would arouse my father's suspicions."

"…Oh, right. You're no better off than Katsura-san, except you only have _one_ overprotective parent hovering over you. Your parents separated?"

"…My mother died 10 years ago. She got caught up with some bad people and ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. …That's the short story, which is all I'm willing to give at the moment." Sakura sighed. "…Not that I'd be able to give you the _full _story if I wanted to."

"Because your father won't let you?"

"Because he _and_ oneesan won't _tell_ me. I know that something else happened, something that both of them know that I don't. Oneesan's not exactly subtle, after all. And I'm pretty sure that she's been seeing the shrink that treated my father after my mom's death. Oneesan talked to her back then, too, in addition to seeing the child psychiatrist that we were both sent to. But, I can tell that whatever it is, they don't want me to know. And I trust them. So, I don't ask about it."

"10 years ago…you would've been, what, 3?" Sakura nodded. "Damn…that's rough. Ichirei-san…"

"Y-You can call me Sakura-chan, if you want. Or if that's a little too familiar for your tastes, I'd be fine with Sakura-san as well."

Kuwata put an arm around her. "Sakura-san…"

"Yes?"

Kuwata didn't reply. They just stood like that for awhile.

* * *

><p>"I've got to admit, that's not bad. Exactly the titles I'd have recommended for someone your age with a budding interest in yaoi."<p>

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm a traditionalist," Natsume giggled.

"Not that yaoi isn't fun and all…but right now I think I'd prefer some yuri," Katsura interjected.

"This is my bedroom. Get your naked body off of my bed, oneechan."

Katsura stuck her tongue out, but got dressed anyway. "Okay, okay."

* * *

><p>"All warmed up?"<p>

"You know, it's a warm day outside. You didn't need to do that."

"You weren't protesting."

"No, you're right. I wasn't."

"You are unbelievable, Suzuka-chan. Also, be glad that someone was guarding the door from the outside too, and that I was the only guy to hear."

"Dylan…how much did you hear?"

"Well, I heard you two going at it. Julia, too; I had to tell her that you go both ways. But, Katie, I'm a bit surprised…"

"I trust her. I'm a good judge of people, and Suzuka is a good person. So _fight a little harder_ to keep her."

"You mean…"

"Yes. Suck up whatever moral doubts you have and give this girl the love she so desperately desires."

"'Moral doubts'? Tomorrow is the second birthday of my best friend's _son_, and the mother of his child is pregnant with another man's child even now. I have every reason to be afraid of what could happen if I had sex."

"I'm starting to reconsider your suggestion," Suzuka said, hand creeping under Katie's top towards her stomach.

"Which suggestion was that?"

"The one where we screw with your family's heads by coming back out there in each other's outfits."

"Right. That one. No, I don't think so." _"And I rescind my earlier doubts about your ability to take care of a woman,"_ she thought, trying not to blush at Suzuka's gentle touch.

"Okay, then…back to you, Dylan. {If it's the social stigma you're worried about, remember that we're in a country where no one knows me and will be for at least a couple of weeks. And it's not like I'd start showing right away.}"

"{And once you do?}"

"{I wouldn't let it get that far.}"

"{…You'd, um…} abort?"

Suzuka nodded. "{Though if we take the right precautions, the chances of that even being necessary are fairly slim.}"

"{…Fine. I saw you flirting with Tommy earlier, after all; you're completely demonic.}"

"{I'm a perfect little angel. A great judge of character has said I'm a good person.}"

"{You're a horny little succubus.}"

"Oh, I'll suck you, alright…"

* * *

><p>"Hey, has anyone seen Kaburagi since we left the beach?"<p>

"Kabu-who?"

"That's not funny." Arisa dialed up Kaburagi's cell phone. It was turned off. "That's strange…"

"Maybe she met someone today and they're having wild sex somewhere," Suki suggested.

"Kaburagi's not a 'first-date lay'. When I first met her, she was crushing on a guy named Jugo Marumoro, but she got over him pretty quickly when she found out he was a pig who wouldn't go on a second date with a girl if the first one ended anywhere short of third base."

"Strange line. Most pigs would want it all the way, and most others would settle for lesser hits."

"Yeah, well, I guess he was probably trying to sound 'reasonable'."

"Well, I'm sure she's fine. You're probably worrying about nothing."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm going to head out now; you have fun with Kitty, okay?"

"Sure thing."

"…_Kitty?"_

* * *

><p>AN: So drowsy…I'd make it longer if I weren't, but I'm really not up for what happens next. And believe me, it's going to be a whirlwind tour. Thanks to Asakami for getting me back in the right frame of mind for writing; next chapter I hope to put what I learned to good use. Until then, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.


	45. Chapter 45

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 45

Disclaimer: This is unassociated with the canon work in any way.

*still July 4, or possibly the 5th back on the Japanese side*

"So, I should probably see about getting a ride home…hm? That's odd…not even enough charge to tell me that there's not enough charge to keep it on? I just charged it this morning…"

"It's fine; I'll take you home."

"Um, okay. Thanks." Kaburagi gave her date her address. A bit later, it became evident that her house wasn't their destination. "Where are we?"

"_Home. _Now get inside." The kindly tone had vanished, and Kaburagi realized what was going on.

"You weren't even planning on _asking_ me first?"

"I said I'd take you home."

"You're a sick bastard. You probably wouldn't even be able to get off if a girl actually _wanted_ to sleep with you."

"Well, then, it's lucky that you clearly don't."

* * *

><p>The sound of the running shower masked the moans emanating from Himiya Katsura's bedroom. Katsura felt a little bad about involving her sister in hiding the truth from her parents, but after seeing that Natsume was far from innocent anyway, it was a necessary evil. "Mmm…Suki…!" Katsura's back arched as Suki's tongue ran over her breasts, teasing them in turn. Though it was tougher to have any coordination from on her back, she managed to reach two fingers up into her lover's sex, probing about to find the right spot.<p>

Bingo. Suki let out a cry of pleasure, and Katsura managed to wriggle out from underneath the larger girl. She didn't stay detached for long, latching onto Suki's back and pressing herself against it, right hand still caressing the clitoris, now with three fingers, while she held onto Suki's chest with her left, giving her the leverage to buck up against her. "You learn quickly. But I bet I can still take the upper hand." Suki let herself go limp, dropping onto the bed and shaking Katsura up. Suki rolled her off of her back, onto the bed. "Oooohhhhh."

"Not so easy, is it?"

"You tell me." A poke of the thumb, and in went the four-fingered diamond.

"Eep!"

"Not that I don't _love_ having you in me…but eating you out is so much sweeter. Although, this should make a fine appetizer…" Suki removed Katsura's fingers from her core and licked them off.

Katsura realized that this left Suki in a rather unstable position and tried to sweep her legs out from under her, but failed to consider just where those hands _were_. "AAAAAH!"

"Is everything okay up there?"

"_Shit!"_ "Yeah, everything's fine!" _"I just have four rather _long_ fingers buried two knuckles deep in my cunt. No big deal."_

"Wow. Sorry. Maybe we should take a break." Suki licked her fingers off. "Wanna lick? You're really sweet, you know."

"…Sure."

* * *

><p>CCX: Well, that's one train wreck of a sex scene down…<p>

* * *

><p>Arisa returned to the beach to ask around about Kaburagi, and was directed to a restaurant where one person had overheard her "date" making reservations. She was able to confirm that they'd been there, but received no further leads. <em>"Kind of wish I had a phone number other than her cell…"<em>

**THUD!**

"_Well, I suppose _that's_ a lead. Definitely a sign that _somebody's_ in trouble, anyway."_ She dialed the proper authorities and reported that she heard screaming and someone trying to break a window from the inside and gave the address of the house. _"Now, just keep on casually walking, then wait out of sight for the police to get there."_

* * *

><p>"I have to admit…this would have to be one of the last places I'd have expected to lose my virginity."<p>

"There's probably some sort of metaphor for the circle of life here."

"That would only be if this were where I was conceived, which it wasn't. My father had long since moved out of this house when he started a family. As such, it's just plain weird."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Perhaps we should focus on…other things. Forgive me if I cut right to the chase." Suzuka began fingering Dylan's member, teasing the tip of it with her tongue. "But I am, like you said, a bit horny right now."

"What _really_ happened between you and my cousin in there?"

"{Well, as your brother implied, her little spat with him induced certain involuntary physical reactions. For some reason she thought that since I had experience pleasuring a woman, she'd be able to relieve herself twice as quickly with both of us working together.}"

"So in layman's terms, you helped jack her off."

"Yep. I can see why your brother is getting some forbidden stirrings."

"Yeah, really weird to think about that."

"Then I guess I'm glad she said no when I reconsidered her initial offer."

"_Really_ not something I want to think about."

Suzuka laughed. "Not that. You heard me, remember? We're actually of very similar build, and were considering switching clothes just for laughs. But, well, I imagine it would be kind of awkward if it were _her_ clothes strewn all over the floor…_her_ bra straining against the hardening nipples pressed up against your chest…_her_ panties _slowly_…" she guided his hand inside of them, "_growing…_" …and then into her core, as she whispered, "_WET._"

Dylan had trouble composing rational thoughts, and had completely forgotten the way that conversation had started. The word "straining" echoed around his brain a few times, so with the one hand he had free, he did something about it. Suzuka helped him remove it.

Another word entered his head. "Condom."

"Hm?"

"I didn't prepare for this, and any condoms that might be left over from my father's childhood would've long since lost their usefulness." (A/N: Bet you didn't know that rubbers wear out over time even if left unused!)

"{…Excuse me a moment.}"

"…Please_ don't tell me she's brazen enough to ask someone else in this family if she can borrow a condom,_" Dylan thought. Suzuka had quickly thrown her clothes back on, leaving her bra on the bed.

"{Hope it's the right size. When I mentioned my boyfriend being American, the clerk tried to sell me these ridiculously large ones. I blushed and said that I thought it looked a bit big, and luckily there was another customer crude enough to do the dirty work for me.}"

"{Dirty work?}"

"{Political incorrectness. Seeing how flustered I was, the guy behind me in line goes, 'She said "American", not "African-American"!' Which was kind of what I was thinking, but I didn't want to say it because that's racial stereotyping.}"

"And Asian men having tiny dongs compared to Americans _isn't_?"

"Well, yeah, it is. Um…it seems to fit just fine."

"Why exactly did you have condoms with you, anyway?"

"{I, uh, I don't exactly have a _supply_ of them. Arisa gave me her 'blessing' to spend as much time with you on the night of the spring dance as necessary, by which I mean she _suggested_ I try to have sex with you, and I told her I'd keep a condom in my purse. And it was still there, because we hadn't had sex yet.}"

"Arisa-chan's either really confident that she can keep you, or she really cares about your happiness over her own."

"Please; she's probably getting it on with Suki-chan right now. Well, not _right_ now because it's like 3 AM in Japan, but you know what I mean."

"Yeah. You willing to stay on top, since you're the more experienced one?"

"{Um, this is a new experience for me, too. Never been with a boy, nor even used a strap-on.}"

"A what?"

"Never mind." She lowered herself onto the erect member and began rhythmically moving her hips. "Mm…yeah, Dylan, that's good… you're doing great…yeaaah!"

"…You're just trying to make me feel better about this."

"Everyone's awkward their first time. Was I really that unconvincing?"

"Well, given that I can barely even keep this stupid thing on, I'd say that, yeah, it's pretty obvious that this is going disastrously.

Suzuka was surprised by this statement. "That's odd; you sure _look_ stiff enough…" And then she got a face full of cum. "Dylan Keith, you're horrible!"

"Aw, but you look so cute. Your hair's doing this funny sticky thing—"

"I'm taking a shower."

"Mind if I join you?"

"…Well, since you're so ruggedly handsome, I suppose I could give you another chance."

* * *

><p>"Good. Keep on resisting. I don't mind my girls a little scratched up…hey, who gave you permission to do that?"<p>

"B-but I thought you wanted me naked…"

"That's what the knife is for!" He threw her down and slashed her clothes apart. "It's no fun if they're still usable afterwards. Mmm…what a delectable little morsel you are…" Kaburagi was in only her bra and panties. The rapist ran the cold, flat edge of his blade along her stomach, savoring her fear.

She knew that he was getting off on her fear, but it was impossible to play it cool. Here she was, on the verge of having her virginity stolen away by some creep who not only won't take no for an answer, but doesn't even ask the question in case the answer might have been yes. "What's the point of starting out sweet if you're just going to go into rape mode anyway?"

"Oh, don't worry. I promise I'll be _very_ sweet. Just stay nice and still, so I don't slip up…see? Symbols of my love." He'd cut out two heart-shaped pieces of her bra, exposing both nipples. He started sucking on one.

"_For a rapist, he's not very thorough…I could probably make another break for it if I time it just right…but he's got the edge over me physically in every way, and he'll immediately know if I try to go for the knife…"_

"You're enjoying this, aren't you? Yes, of course you are. Now then, let's get those hands nice and secured behind your back…and don't you dare think about trying to get at my junk; I've learned that lesson already; never straddle your victim. I'll be keeping both legs on the same side of you, thanks." He sat on her legs to weigh them down. "Now, then, the most fun part…one might even call it a party! You'll be providing the _confetti_…"

"_So this is it, then. I'm going to die. There's no way this guy could still be out on the streets if any of his victims have left him alive; he takes no measures to conceal the act of rape."_

"So now that _those_ nasty things have been taken care of…what say you we make things a bit more civilized? I'll be right back." And then he left the room.

"…_Okay, the window's definitely out of the question; it didn't break the last time I tried, not to mention it's on the second floor anyway. And it sounded like he _barred_ the door, so there's no lock for me to pick. Maybe I can find another escape? …No, they don't make ventilation shafts big enough for a person to fit into in real life; only in TV and movies. Wait…that window has a lock on it! Now let's just hope this works…"_

* * *

><p>"Mm…so how much time do you think we have?"<p>

"Probably not much. I'm not confident in Natsume's stalling abilities if it comes to it."

"That's fine. Just getting to shower with you is good enough for me. Gently scrubbing that soft skin…"

"Covered in who-knows-what chemicals. This spray tan stuff is nasty."

"You want me to wash it all away?"

"We might have to briefly shut the water off and turn it back on to make my parents think there are two separate showers being taken. They may be ignorant, but even they wouldn't be able to ignore us showering together."

Once again, they had nothing to worry about, as a rather conveniently timed guest arrived to deflect attention from the ending of shower time. "Natsu-chan! Kasuka-chan's here to see you!"

Suki almost stumbled as she headed back to Katsura's room. "Did your mother just say what I think she said?"

"Natsu-chan's best friend is here. Kasumi Kasuka. Apparently she's the one who introduced her to the world of yaoi."

"…you _knew_ that the 'Kasumi-chan' she was referring to was Kasuka-chan, and you didn't think to mention this to me?"

"You know her?"

Suki smacked her in the head. "What, did you think it was just a _coincidence_ that she shared a family name with my new boyfriend?"

"…Seriously?" Katsura slapped _herself_ in the face. "I _knew_ that name sounded familiar to me when you mentioned it, but I hadn't really thought about it…and I was vaguely aware of the fact that Kasuka-chan had an older brother, but I never knew his name. So Kasuka Shin and Kasuka Kasumi are brother and sister, then?"

"Yeah." Just then, there was a knocking on the bedroom door.

"Onee-sama! I want to introduce you to my friend Kasumi-chan!"

"That's sweet, Natsu-chan," Suki replied, opening the door, "but we've already met. Small world, isn't it, Kasuka-chan?"

"Eh? Makimaro-san, you're friends with Natsu-chan's sister?"

"Yeah. We're pretty close."

"_Very_ close," Natsume said with a giggle, "or didn't you hear _me_ call her 'onee-sama'?"

"Well, I guess if you approve of her, she must be a good person. Not that it matters to me who my brother dates."

"…Eh? Your brother…"

"Yes, that's correct. I recently started dating Kasuka-kun," Suki said.

"But…"

"It happened a couple of months after _Hayama-kun_ broke up with me."

"Oh. Okay, yeah, that makes sense."

"_That was too close. Seems like she forgot that I date boys, too."_

* * *

><p>CCX: That shower scene didn't have enough sex in it, so how about this?<p>

* * *

><p>"Now this is more like it."<p>

"It's not causing the same issues as before?"

"Nope. It's kind of hard to get past the whole 'place where one of your _parents_ has had sex' thing."

"_{And you're so certain that no one in your family has done it in here? I'd probably be even _more_ weirded out by the possibility of doing it somewhere that my _grandparents_ might have done it.}"_

"Also, it's less awkward in here than in that small bed. I don't know _why_ they call those 'twin' beds; you can't comfortably fit more than one adult in one of them unless they're practically anorexic."

"I think you're making stuff up."

"Well I was going to say something about the way you glisten in the water making you more beautiful, but I figured you'd come back with a crack about the steam making it harder for me to see you."

"You're anticipating my comebacks now?"

"Yes?"

Suzuka turned around and kissed him. "You're definitely a keeper. Even if I do turn out to be, you know, not actually sexually attracted to men, we're still going to be good friends, right?"

"I really wish you wouldn't bring that up now…but, yeah, I imagine so. If that was the reason, it would be hard for me to really be heartbroken, and I definitely enjoy your company enough to continue seeing you platonically after an amicable breakup."

"{Um…could you repeat that in Japanese?}"

"{Oh. Sure, no problem.}"

* * *

><p>CCX: I realized that it's kind of tough to figure out which language should be spoken in this scene, since I'd think both people would tend to revert to their native language in the heat of passion. And now I'm wondering if anyone has ever asked what the proper protocol for a bilingual sex scene is.<p>

…It doesn't appear that way. Although I'm not sure how the word "examples" crept into my query for "what is the protocol for writing a bilingual sex scene", Google only managed to come up with 3 proper results before going to the "similar searches". Not surprisingly, the words "protocol", "writing", "sex", "bilingual", and "scene" rarely show up in the same document, much less the same sentence, and furthermore, when they do turn up in the same document it's usually a legal document—where "scene" immediately follows "crime" and "sex" immediately precedes "abuse". So, yeah, definitely a strange query.

* * *

><p>"<em>I think I've just about…oh, no, he's coming back!" <em>Kaburagi turned around. "Oh, my, you shouldn't have…you really shouldn't have."

"Don't worry about it. No one will ever have to know that you're too young to drink."

"_This guy's totally psychotic. Better just leave this pin on the window sill and hope he doesn't notice it; it'd be hard to disguise putting it back and I've got more where it came from."_ "Well, if you insist…"

Just then, the flashing lights and sirens of the police approached. Kaburagi took advantage of the brief distraction to head back for the window, smashing the wine glass against the wall to create a makeshift weapon if the need arose. Her attacker grabbed her as she started through the window, but it was impossible to ignore the scene. _"Well, at least I'll be his last victim…"_ Then she screamed out in pain. _"Maybe I should've thought this out a little better,"_ she thought as the shards of glass cut into her bare soles.

"Hang on, Kaburagi-chan!"

Wait, was that Bannings? Kaburagi suddenly gained a new determination, jabbing her glass weapon into her attacker's arm to get away, then picking up the nearest hard object in order to defend herself. This, of course, was the bottle. It made a satisfying sound as it knocked against his skull. Had she been thinking a little more rationally, she might have realized that the door to the room itself was now a viable exit, but she managed to escape into the bathroom, locking the door behind her and also finding towels to wrap herself in. _"Good riddance,"_ she thought, removing her defaced brassiere. It would be of more use to the police and the prosecutors than it would be to her in this state.

Back down on the ground, a policeman was trying to shoo Arisa away from the scene. "This is a crime scene. Clear away."

"I know; I'm the one who called in the tip. That girl, the victim, she's a friend of mine. I got worried when I couldn't get in touch with her, but I realized I was in over my head. I just want to see to it that she's okay."

"Well, I've got to give you credit for at least knowing when to call in the professionals. Far too many 'amateur detectives' don't know when to call for the authorities; not to mention, vigilantism is a crime itself."

The rapist was still trying to break into the bathroom when the police entered the bedroom. "It's safe now, ma'am. We've got him."

"Th-thanks…I really didn't think I was going to get out of this alive."

"You showed a lot of bravery, fighting back against your attacker—and trying to escape through that window. …And for picking the window lock, for that matter," he added, noticing the hairpin on the sill.

"R-really? I just kind of acted on instinct…although, there's something else I need to fetch."

"Something else?"

"I figured out what was going on shortly before the car came to a stop." She held up her cell phone, the back of which was completely gone. "He took the battery out of my cell phone—probably destroyed it. I found it out before I exited the car, and I took the back off and slid it between the passenger seat and the door, where he likely wouldn't see it. I wanted to leave evidence behind, in case I didn't get out of here alive."

"_Very_ brave. Why don't you give us your name, and then you can go home and freshen up before coming in to give us your statements."

"It's pretty much just a formality at this point; speeds up the process. Pretty hard to deny that he's going to be convicted, though."

"Kaburagi Kimidori. Age 17. Do I have to come down later for a statement, or can I just give it now? It's not like I'd be getting home any time soon unless it was in a police car, anyway."

"Actually, unless your status as a minor makes the police hesitant to release you to anything short of a family member, there _is_ someone here whom I believe you find trustworthy enough to consent to getting into a car with."

"I _thought_ that was your voice I heard! What are you doing here, Bannings-san?"

"Please, just call me Arisa; now's not the time for formality. I tried calling you, and you didn't answer, so I went searching around and found out that you'd left with a suspicious guy. Though in the end, I also kind of caught a lucky break; I was passing by right when you tried to break that window…that you later tried to climb out of."

"Yeah, I kind of…got a little time alone in which I could work on picking the lock. It seemed better than brute force, at least for me."

"You really do have the worst luck when it comes to men."

"Yeah. Although all things considered, it could've gone worse. I'm still alive, and in the end I wasn't _completely_ soiled."

"He never got all the way?"

Kaburagi nodded. "He was too obsessed with…I don't even know. It was weird; he started off charming, but it wasn't like he 'couldn't take "no" for an answer' because he never _asked the question_. He just stole my cell phone battery while I was in the restroom, offered to 'drive me home', by which he meant _his_ home, and started making with the crazy knife stuff."

"'Crazy knife stuff?'" asked a police officer.

"Maybe I should just go with you guys for now; tell you everything…show you everything, although I'm sure you've collected a lot of the remnants of my clothing from his bedroom."

"It's…no problem."

"Actually, it probably _would_ be best if she came straight away," a higher-ranking police officer told him. "There may still be evidence."

"Could I at least get some shoes, though? Or…something…I kind of messed up there."

"Let's just get you to safety."

* * *

><p>CCX: Yeah, that ended weirdly.<p>

* * *

><p>"I think it's probably getting close to dinnertime."<p>

"I'm pretty happy with what I've been eating right now," Suzuka purred. Dylan stifled a chuckle. "What?"

"I'm…flattered. But you really suck at talking dirty."

"…Yeah, Arisa says that, too. She's banned me from trying to do a 'sexy voice'."

"…So what do you think?"

"I think…I'm going to have a _lot_ of fun at dinner tonight."

Dylan thought about this for a moment. "{Suzuka-chan, you'd better not! You're going to embarrass yourself, and me, and you're probably not going to give your people a good name.}"

"{Oh, come on, the Japanese have always been right there with the Americans when it comes to eating hot dogs. Isn't this the day of the 'Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest'? Kobayashi-san won 6 titles in a row, and he wasn't even the first Japanese champion.}" (CCX: Yes, I looked that up. The year _before_ Kobayashi's first title, the entire top three was Japanese, and two of the three titles immediately before that were won by Hirofumi Nakajima.)

"{Yeah, but that's stuffing hot dogs down, not…} fellating {them or whatever you're planning to do.}"

"{I believe the word you're looking for is 'fellating'. It's fine; you weren't there yet for White Day.}"

"{Huh?}"

"{There was a humorous incident involving Miki-chan and a rather unfortunately-colored lollipop. Which she intentionally played up for all it was worth, because she has an extremely raunchy sense of humor, largely developed as a coping mechanism for her physical shortcomings.} And I'm just teasing you; I'm not going to do anything embarrassing."

"Good. Wait, aren't our suitcases downstairs still? I don't really think we can change back into what we were wearing before…you especially."

"Well, then, I guess I just have to hope that Katie's offer still stands."

* * *

><p>*July 5—morning in America, late night in Japan*<p>

"Hey, Arisa. Something up?"

"Yeah, it's been…quite a weird day. I'm not sure _how_ I sensed that something was wrong, but I kind of helped catch a rapist." (CCX: Confirming that the events of the past two chapters on the Japanese side have been taking place on July 5.)

"I'm sorry, this overseas connection must be bad. It sounded like you said you helped catch a _rapist_?"

"That's right. Kimi-chan—sorry, I mean Kaburagi-chan—ended up attracting attention from the wrong guy at the beach earlier today. I tried calling her, and she didn't pick up, and I just felt like something was wrong so I went looking for her, and then I realized that this was an honest-to-God dangerous criminal and so I just called the police. She's fine; though—sorry, Kimi-chan, didn't mean to diminish what happened today—while far from unscathed, she at least managed to escape with her virginity intact, and from the account she's given, it sounds like this guy could use a mental institution as badly as a prison. So, uh, how has your trip been going so far?"

"It's also been…interesting. I've confirmed my bisexuality—finally got Dylan to relent to safe sex on the promise that if something went wrong and I got pregnant anyway, I'd get an abortion—and also helped his female cousin through a bi-curious phase. Doesn't seem like I've turned her away from heterosexuality but I definitely made a new friend. It's just too bad that I'm not going to be able to see her more—her taste in clothing is great. Comfortable, too."

"…What?"

Suzuka laughed. "We had been considering fucking around with her family by switching clothes after our little rendezvous anyway, and then when I got my chance with Dylan we forgot to make sure that we'd be able to get dressed afterwards so I had no choice but to borrow from Katie. Oh, right, I guess I forgot to mention that I'm at Dylan's grandparents' house right now; yesterday was a major holiday in the United States and the extended Keith family usually gets together for it."

"_I_ know about Fourth of July; I'm half-American, remember? Still, it must be pretty early."

"Not too early. It's about 10:00."

"Ten…only 13 hours behind us? But I thought…oh, right. I usually go in the winter, when Daylight Savings Time isn't in effect and so even the Eastern Time Zone is 14 hours behind Japan. Didn't realize you were that far east, though."

"I didn't think I was. Apparently the time zone changes just west of Louisville, although I'm even further east at the moment and also a little further north."

"Good; I was worried that I'd wake you. Still, it's going to be tough to find a time to talk to you."

"Well, I don't have international calling anyway, so we should probably keep the phone conversations to a minimum. If there's something you absolutely _must_ tell me, send an email or something."

"What if I want phone sex?"

"You have Suki for that."

"That was _kind of_ a joke. What I meant was, I'm still going to miss you."

Suzuka sighed. "…13 hours, right? So it's around 11 PM in Japan?"

"Yeah…"

"…I'll call you. If it's from Dylan's phone, it should be fine."

"I'm surprised you even had your phone on, if you're getting roaming charges in the US."

"…Yeah, that was kind of an oversight on my part. Although, perhaps I _should_ get an international calling plan. I'm already starting to make friends in America, and it wouldn't surprise me if I made more." She lowered her voice just to make sure Dylan didn't overhear. "Although, it'd be even nicer if there were an inter_dimensional_ calling plan."

Arisa started laughing. "Yeah, that would be nice. I don't think we'll have much luck with that, though."

"No, we probably won't. Talk to you in a few days, Ari-chan."

"Yeah. Love ya, Suzuka."

"Love you too."

* * *

><p>CCX: Like I said, for better or for worse, I tend to get inspired by what I take in. It was a very conscious decision to leave the rapist unnamed so as to dehumanize him; the fact that the police officers also remained unnamed was just because given the brevity of their appearance, it felt more like it would be shoehorned in if I introduced them. So, hopefully this ultra-long, ultra-lemony chapter should satisfy. Until next time, this is Cyberchao X, signing off.<p> 


	46. Chapter 46

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 46

Disclaimer: The usual.

*July 6*

A/N: Damn I've been falling so far behind…

"So based on your reaction yesterday, should I assume that you never bothered to make 'the arrangement' with Kasuka-san?" Katsura asked.

"No, but it's still not something I'd want the rest of his family to know about. I actually _did_ lay down the rules; the same as with Tatsu-kun and Ari-chan. …I guess it's kind of selfish, isn't it?"

* * *

><p>CCX: Yes, when I wrote Chapter 45, I was thinking that Kasuka didn't know, but that would contradict Chapter 42, so I changed it.<p>

* * *

><p>"…'Selfish'? How so?"<p>

"Well, the situation's kind of different than it was with them."

"What's so different about it?"

"Arisa's _only_ interested in girls. You aren't. It's a little harder to sell the 'separate' part of having two separate significant others."

"Gross. I'm pretty sure I'm not ready for _that_ anyway."

Suki stared at her. "…You got yourself into this big mess of yours because you _were_ very much ready back in May."

"Exactly. Look at what happened when I tried to grow up too quickly. I'll take my time, thank you very much."

"…So then I suppose that means our relationship will have to get less physical?" Suki teased.

"Ah, I didn't mean _that_! I…it's different…"

"You don't know how happy that makes me. I'm really scared that the call of the male sex is going to be too strong one of these days, and I'm going to lose you."

"…"

"Katsu-tan?"

"…I can't guarantee that that won't happen. And if it did, we probably _would_ have to scale things back quite a bit. But even if I end up opting for a man…you'll never lose me. I love you too much to let that happen."

Suki pouted. "You might have to, you know. It's not always easy to forgive someone for breaking your heart."

"You'd shut me out completely if that happened?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"…Well, you won't have to find out for quite some time. I'm here with you…Suki."

* * *

><p>CCX: I had to go all the way back to Chapter 40 to confirm how Katsura had been addressing Suki recently. (Last chapter's sex scene doesn't count. This is the first time she's addressed Suki without an honorific outside of the heat of passion.)<p>

…Unfortunately, there's really not much else worth talking about before we'd need to time-skip—not even with a character birthday confirmed to be very close at hand. Although, perhaps we _should_ skip ahead to a character's birthday…

* * *

><p>*August 13—Tanabata*<p>

"Is it just me, or have you grown a bit while I was out of the country?"

"Sadly, I'm as short as ever," Miki said. "Maybe this year with a double-strength concentration of wishing power, I can finally change that."

Izei and Suzuka both laughed. "It's not just you. Her height may be the same—I'm starting to wonder if she's reached full height already—but she's growing in other ways."

Miki blushed. "I don't think that's what she meant."

"Actually, it kind of was. You look more like a 17-year-old girl _should_, albeit an extremely short one. I got you a birthday gift, by the way."

"You wouldn't by any chance have been cutting corners by waiting until my birthday to give me a souvenir from your trip to the USA, would you?"

"That would imply that I'd gotten all of my friends souvenirs, which I didn't. But, yes, I did buy birthday gifts for both you and Kanna-chan while I was overseas." Aside from those two, she only bought gifts for Arisa—not because Arisa had never been to the United States, of course, but rather because she had never been to that _part_ of the United States and Suzuka already had multiple souvenirs from Arisa's visits—and Suki. She wondered what it meant that she considered what would probably have to be considered her primary romantic rival—and someone whom her first meeting with had already cast her in said capacity—to be one of her closest friends still on the planet Earth. _"It's because 'two' is overrated,"_ a voice in her head told her, and she had to admit that she _wouldn't_ mind a triangle solution with Arisa and Suki…but of course, that wasn't in the cards at the moment. Should she wish for that? No, it didn't feel right…but of course, last year's wish had as good as come true. She and Arisa were a couple, and it was unlikely that anything would get in the way of that…not even the gorgeous boy standing right next to her.

* * *

><p>CCX: I <em>did<em> say that I liked the idea of Miki's birthday being in August as well, remember?

* * *

><p>"So, what types of wishes do people make on Tanabata?" Dylan asked.<p>

"Oh, all sorts of stuff. Some people make selfish wishes, and some make selfless ones. If there's anything you're…concerned about, maybe you should make a wish about it." Yeah, _that_ was a good use of this year's wish. Wish that she and Dylan would be able to be together again after both had graduated from high school, since it seemed inevitable that they'd be separated at the end of the current school year. But wouldn't that go against the spirit of last year's wish? Again came the voice telling her that monogamy was overrated. She tried to silence it. Although, Suki had always done a good job of balancing a boyfriend and a girlfriend…

"What are you going to wish for, Katsu-tan?"

"You know I can't tell you that, Suki-chan! Although, nothing will ever beat last year's wish coming true…"

"Yeah, but you didn't need a wish to make that happen. You made that happen all on your own." Suki had to catch herself from being more specific. After discovering that her boyfriend's younger sister was Natsume's best friend, it only seemed natural to spend the festival with both the Himiyas and the Kasukas—which meant that more than half of the present company had no idea that she and Katsura were dating. Shin had questioned her about having the two of them together, and she'd told him exactly that—that publicly, Katsura was her best friend, and since by sheer coincidence her best friend's younger sister and her boyfriend's younger sister were best friends, it wouldn't be weird at all to spend time with both of their families at once. And also that he'd _better not slip up_, because Natsume-chan was the _only_ other person who knew otherwise.

"Wait, I thought you said you came out to your family," he had said.

"Uh…yes, they know that I'm bisexual…just not who my girlfriend is. _You're not getting any more information than that._"

Suki could be scary when she was angered.

"_I want Himiya Katsura to be mine and mine alone."_

* * *

><p>"There are…certain disadvantages for me having you so readily accepted as part of the family," Sakura said.<p>

"I'm sorry my boyfriend is such an inconvenience to you," Miki replied.

"What do you mean, Sakura-chan?" Izei asked.

"Himiya-san has the benefit of her younger sister to distract her parents. Papa trusting you so much means that I get all of his attention."

"You're forgetting that I'm 17 and the little Himiya-chan is _11_. It's a totally different situation," Miki said.

"…True. But on the other hand, she's still too young to even be thinking about dating, isn't she?"

"Not really. She's a sixth-year elementary school student. That's about the right age to start thinking about the opposite sex. Or in some cases, the same sex," she added, thinking about how many lesbian or bisexual friends she'd made since getting into high school.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I won't lose. Looks like even with Makimaro-san around, Himiya-san is still stuck under tight parental watch tonight. Can you two try to help me get some freedom?"

"I'll try…"

Was what Miki was _going_ to say, but it became unnecessary. "Miki-san! Sakura-san!"

Miki and Sakura having mutual friends was advantageous, as it gave a natural reason for Miki and Izei to remain alongside Sakura, "chaperoning" her. "Hey, Mayu-chan!" The sisters gave their father a look, and he nodded, telling them it was okay. They went over to join their friends.

"_I want to be free to date Kuwata-san."_

* * *

><p>"Hmm. I'm surprised to see you and K—Himiya-san apart, Watagami-chan."<p>

"Shut up, Kuwata-kun. She's a bit busy tonight."

"Just a romantic night with her girlfriend?"

"Hardly. She's with Sempai, yes, but also her family and that of her sister's best friend…which also contains Sempai's current _boyfriend._"

"Wait, what? I have so much trouble keeping up with these relationship trees," Miki said. "Someone needs to make a chart." (CCX: No, I haven't made a chart. Yet.) Hanna explained the situation with the Kasuka siblings.

"Don't worry about her. She's still under parental surveillance…I'm not," Sakura said. Hanna sighed heavily. "What? It's true. Yeah, I doubt I'd be able to get much 'alone time', but I'm free for the moment, and Himiya-san is, well…shit out of luck."

"Sakura-san, that's a bit rude," Kuwata said.

"…Yeah, you're right. Sorry, Shirou-kun. Is it okay if I call you that, since I let you call me Sakura-chan? …Ah, right, but you _don't_, so I should call you 'Shirou-san', right?"

"Um…yeah, 'Shirou-san' is fine." He blushed. _"Why must I keep falling for these girls with overprotective parents?"_

"I guess maybe _I'll_ go see Katsura-chan, then," Hanna said.

"Can't stand to see me flirting with another girl, Watagami-chan?" Kuwata teased.

"You wish. Though if you close your eyes, I'm sure you could pretend it was me you were with. Uh, no offense, Sakura-san."

"None taken. I'm honored to be considered a suitable substitute for you where breasts are concerned."

"Crude as ever. I don't know _what_ she sees in you."

"…" Hanna stormed off, trying to figure out what Kuwata meant by that. Normally that was a phrase you used about a romantic relationship, but it didn't sound like that…for starters, unless it was an unrequited love, the _gender_ was all wrong. Actually, it would be an unrequited love either way because she wasn't attached to anyone at the moment, but that was beside the point. All of her loves at the moment were either familial or platonic. Except…

…_Katsura_. She was special, in a way that transcended not only mere friendship, but also romance. And yet, she'd stuck up for Kuwata at the beach last month, and it sounded like he was about to refer to her by her given name. And Sakura had made a point of the fact that Katsura was still under parental supervision and she was momentarily free, suggesting that she viewed Katsura as a romantic rival. For…Kuwata Shirou's affections.

Hanna had worked herself even into an even bigger furor by the time she'd reached the Himiya-Makimaro-Kasuka gathering. "What's the matter, Hanna-chan?" Katsura asked.

"Kuwata. Shirou," she spat. "Is there something I should know about?"

"There had better not be," Mr. Himiya responded, "because Katsura isn't allowed to consort with boys without strict parental supervision."

"There _isn't_," she reassured her father. "I know the rules, and even if I was going to break them, Hanna-chan means more to me than any boy could. I wouldn't go out with someone my best friend hates. Well, not someone she hates _that passionately_, anyway."

"True. That would be quite a betrayal of trust, going after a boy that your best friend has such passionate feelings about," Natsume teased.

"Don't say things that could be misconstrued like that, Natsu-chan."

"I didn't misspeak."

"Ooh, one of _those_ cases?" Kasumi asked, and Natsume nodded. "Your sister's friends sound like fun; we may have to try to tag along with them more often."

"Okay, enough chatter from the junior ero society," Katsura said, and Natsume stomped on her foot.

"Katsura! You apologize to your sister right now!"

"Why do _I_ have to apologize?! _She_ just stomped on _me_!"

"Natsume, that's not the proper way to respond when your sister is mean to you."

"…Sorry."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too, Nee-san."

"It's okay. You were perfectly justified in being mad at me." _"After all, I nearly blew your secret, when you've been keeping a far _larger_ one for me."_ She made a note to find some alone time to _properly_ apologize to Natsume.

"I still reacted poorly."

"Nah. A moment alone, please?" Forget "finding some time". "I'm really sorry, Natsume-chan. I haven't given you nearly the respect you deserve."

"Eh? But _I'm_ the one who's supposed to treat _you_ with respect, Nee-san!"

"And you do. You may tease my friends, even though they're also your elders and therefore people whom you should treat respectfully, but you've always been a dutiful younger sister. You've even kept my bisexuality secret from Otou-san and Okaa-san. And yet, I nearly revealed your secret…I'm just lucky that they didn't press it and simply assumed I was just being rude. But even that shows that I haven't always been the best neesan." She put her arms around her younger sister and gave her a kiss on the temple. "You're the best imouto a girl could ask for, and I'm sorry I haven't appreciated that enough until now."

"…N-nee-san…" Natsume was moved to tears.

"And, furthermore…that's what I meant by 'respecting you more'. Even though we're not even two years apart, I sometimes treat you like a little kid. You're clearly not one anymore, and I feel like maybe I should be treating you more like a friend than I have in the past. We're not that different, after all."

"Nee-san…thank you." She dried her eyes. "Now, let's get back to the others before Otou-san and Okaa-san start worrying about us. By which I mean you." She smiled.

"…Yeah."

"_I want to be free to date boys again."_

* * *

><p>CCX: See what I mean about never knowing exactly where my fics will end up going? I totally did not expect a Katsura-Natsume bonding scene in here.<p>

?: Well, it's not like it's the first time you've written a bonding scene between sisters.

CCX: Your "sisterly bonding scene" was nothing like this.

?: Chapter 49. Way back in the Book of Kurolanime.

CCX: That's…not exactly comforting. I still didn't fully have a handle on writing original works back then; there are far too many references to the real world in there and most of them are religious.

* * *

><p>CCX: …Damnit, lost my flow. Actually, it doesn't seem like there's much more to do with Tanabata…or, for that matter, most of the rest of 2013. Let's wrap this chapter up here, and Chapter 47…will very nearly catch me up to the calendar. CCX, signing off.<p> 


	47. Chapter 47

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 47

Disclaimer: The usual.

*November*

"Well, I managed to convince my parents to at least let me _host_ a Christmas party, since they obviously aren't about to let me attend anyone else's," Katsura said. "Can you guys come?"

"…Put us down tentatively for a yes," Arisa replied. "Although hopefully we have other plans…I just have a bad feeling that they're going to fall through."

"Be a little more optimistic, will you?" Suzuka asked. "They'll make it. Somehow…"

"…I want to believe that, too. But…does it really matter? As long as the two of us are here together…That's enough for me."

"Never thought I'd see the day. Not that I'm not flattered, but I thought Nanoha-chan and the others meant more to you."

"…They do. Maybe too much. What happens if they return and it stirs up old feelings?"

"…I don't know. You're right. A reunion would only lead to another goodbye…I hate goodbyes."

"Is that why you're already trying to ease yourself away from Dylan-san?"

"It just…wasn't working out. Dylan's a great guy, and I'm going to keep in touch with him as a friend, but even if it weren't for the whole long-distance relationship thing…we're too different. He's…just not really my type."

"You mean he's still too uptight."

"That's…not _exactly_ it…but you're on the right track."

Arisa grinned. "I knew it. You've been leaning towards girls all along."

"Maybe. Or maybe it's just you." Suzuka kissed her.

* * *

><p>CCX: Wait, are we just glossing over some serious plot developments? Well…okay, maybe a little. Autumn really isn't easy to work with here, because while summer vacation will always be summer vacation and the winter holidays will always be the winter holidays (and by that I'm referring not only to the December holidays but also to Valentine's Day), the most interesting parts of the autumn and spring in a story about high school are the beginning and end of the school year, respectively—which in Japan move to the spring and winter, leaving autumn barren of anything meaningful. I mean, yes, I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could come up with a plotline, but…well, this fic's been dragging on for awhile now anyway, and I think it's about time to wrap it up and move on to its, er, "sequel".<p>

CC: …That's a pretty big announcement in its own right. Going into what happens after the couple finally gets together to stay has never been your strong suit.

CCX: I've made it work in my Touhou fics, haven't I? But, no, actually, there's a reason that "sequel" was written in quotation marks like that. Remember how I said that with how OC-driven this fic was to begin with, it wouldn't be _that_ hard to go the distance and just rewrite this for Fictionpress?

CC: …You're going to rewrite it for Fictionpress.

CCX: No. Rather, I'm going to use the "distance" provided by the Pacific Ocean to continue writing high school stuff with _some_ characters I've already established and mostly characters that will still be brand new. Probably the biggest challenge involved will be not having any yuri to lean on; this fic has plenty of het relationships but they're not the focus. Although, I kind of feel like it's a shame that I have to do it the way I am; I'd much _rather_ tell the continuing stories of the characters on this side of the Pacific—there's some damn good unfinished storylines surrounding the class of 2018, and I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could get a bit more out of Miki—but it would seem weird to just write the canon characters out of their stories; not so much the ones with an ocean between them.

* * *

><p>*mid-December*<p>

"…Did you get a message too?" Suzuka asked. Arisa nodded grimly. Any thoughts of leave had been quashed by an unfortunate incident on a mission; Nanoha overworking herself to a dangerous level. (CCX: I have no idea what time of year that incident happened in canon, so bear with me if I'm playing a little loose with the facts again.) Arisa had called Katsura right away to confirm that they would be coming to her party, and Katsura had said that she could've sounded a little happier about it, only to be met with silence and the realization that she'd said something unintentionally rude.

* * *

><p>*a few days later *<p>

"You know, I just have to ask—what were you thinking, breaking up with your boyfriend as Christmas was approaching?" Miki asked.

"I wasn't really thinking about Christmas when I did it, although that probably wasn't a bad idea. After Christmas and New Year's, it's not that long until Valentine's Day, and then that leads into White Day and pretty soon the school year is over and we have to say our goodbyes still as a couple," Suzuka replied.

"It's kind of lonely, though, being single for Christmas. What are you going to do?"

"Well, Arisa and I are going to Himiya-san's party."

"Oh? I guess Himiya-san doesn't see us quite the same way the rest of those girls do. I probably wouldn't have gone to a junior high party anyway—I doubt Mr. and Mrs. Himiya would much approve of our behavior, given that they seem to be cut from the same cloth as my father on the subject of dating before high school—"

"Only because she tried to go too far too quickly," Suzuka reminded her.

"—but I'm sure Sakura-chan would have loved to go had she been invited."

"And your father would allow it?"

"…True. I'd kind of _have_ to go in order to allow Sakura to do so, and even then it wouldn't be a sure thing."

* * *

><p>"So how's <em>your<em> holiday outlook, Kanna-chan?"

"Pretty damn good, actually. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I just had a rather _interesting_ discussion with Miki-chan; she gave me hell about breaking up with Dylan-san so close to Christmas."

"…You still haven't told her about you and Arisa?"

"I dropped a subtle hint when I told her about my plans for Christmas, but…well, she'll find out soon enough."

"Meaning?"

"She's a close enough friend that I fully expect her to be at this year's New Year's party. I'm sure you already know that the alleged reason for my breakup with Dylan doesn't _quite_ match the truth."

"Tell me later; you seem to have a plan so I wouldn't want your rumors to go off prematurely. Also, I've gotta run. Cheerleading. Wouldn't want Rika to miss me." Then she left Suzuka to ponder that thought.

* * *

><p>*evening*<p>

"So, your 'plan'?"

"First thing's first: who's 'Rika'?"

"Piyori Rika. First-year. Cheerleader. It's not easy, you know, trying to covertly sneak peeks at your squadmates' naked or near-naked bodies; very easy to get caught. You've got to be quick at turning your head away, but even so, you can often tell if you're alert. It's a little easier with the ones like Fusabi-senpai, because she's beautiful enough and vain enough to believe that any glances at her body by other girls are the product of envy rather than lust. Enough times, though, and a pair of wandering eyes will eventually figure out that they aren't alone. It wasn't hard to confirm; like mine, the mirror in her locker was at an angle, pointing towards Fusabi-sempai's. Pretty easy to broach the subject casually there—as well as give some friendly advice to my kouhai, that like I said, you can get away with looking directly at Fusabi-sempai because it's easy enough to blame any longing looks on envy, whereas Chigusa-sempai isn't as likely to fall for that; that's whose locker my mirror's trained on."

"Seriously? You found a fellow lesbian on the cheerleading squad?"

"I consider myself blessed to be able to keep things so discreet. Rika-chan has never even _had_ rumors about her sexuality leveled against her—in fact, me even telling you this is probably a violation of trust—and I seem to have finally managed to escape the rumors from junior high."

"I thought you didn't care who knew you were a lesbian."

"I don't. Well, except for the whole part about the cheerleaders becoming uncomfortable. Now, speaking of people's sexualities becoming public knowledge…"

"Right. On the surface, I broke up with Dylan-san in order to make it easier for us to part ways when he has to return to the US. In reality, and he knows this, it's because while I certainly enjoy his company, I feel like I'm pretty certain that, barring the passing of a law that allows bisexuals to take both a husband and a wife, a committed relationship to a man just isn't in my future…and truth be told, there isn't much ambiguity as to the identity of my future wife, either."

"That serious? Slow down, Suzu-chan; we're only in our second year of high school."

"Worry not; I'm not in any great rush to get married, or committed or whatever; but I can't foresee my situation changing. And unlike two years ago, when I was still coming to grips with my bisexuality, much less my feelings for Arisa, or last year, when I was still fully convinced that I could go either way and Arisa had to deal with relationship drama that didn't even concern me, this year at midnight I'm going to take action to addressing all of those rumors. Plenty of people are going to notice this time."

"…It's still going to be awkward. Remember, thanks to your passive-aggressive strategy with Kokuro-san last year, you've now set a precedent for inviting the whole class. Meaning that your most recent boyfriend will still be right there when you declare to the school that you've gone lesbian."

"It's fine. It's not like his lips will be unclaimed at midnight either."

"He's got another girlfriend already? And furthermore, she'll be at the party?"

"…you didn't find it odd at _all_ that he still ate lunch with us even after the breakup?"

"Well, the breakup was so amicable that it was easy to tell that you two were still friends, and being half-American Arisa-chan's always been a confidante of his as well. What are you saying?"

"That something _finally_ went right for Kaburagi-san. She certainly deserves a break once in awhile, even if it's kind of a bittersweet one since Dylan-san's only going to be here a few more months."

"…who?"

Suzuka laughed. "I'm surprised hearing that from you, Kanna-chan; you're not the type to leave a pretty girl un-ogled."

"Which class is she in?"

"2-D, same as Arisa. She was in our class in junior high, too, although neither of us really talked to her that frequently until graduation."

"Oh, right. Arisa-chan's friend. Yeah, she's not too bad. She'd be a lot more memorable if she had some self-confidence; she doesn't really go out of her way to make her presence felt so it's easy to just forget about her even when you know she's there. I have to figure that will change now that she's with Keith-san, though."

"I should hope so. Up until getting together with Dylan-san, she'd had nothing but _horrible_ luck with men. He's really the perfect guy for her right now."

"Even though he's going home in a few months?"

"Yeah."

"Why do you say that?"

"…Well, because he's a good person, who will treat her the way a girl deserves to be treated." Suzuka couldn't exactly say the _real_ reason—"because I practically had to _drag_ sex out of him, so he's the perfect boyfriend for a rape victim."

* * *

><p>*Christmas, around 9:30 AM*<p>

"Suzuka, Arisa-chan's here to see you."

"Tell her to come on up."

"Hey, what's up? I thought we were going to spend the whole day together?"

"We are. It's just going to start out here in my room."

"_Well_."

"Not like that."

"[Uh, Suzuka? Isn't having a friend in the room with you going to make it kind of awkward?]"

*…which is around 7:30 PM Christmas Eve in eastern Kentucky*

"[Oh, don't mind me; I'll just sit and observe,]" Arisa replied.

"[…Right. I forgot you told me your best friend was half-American.]"

"['Best friend'? Is that all I am to you?]"

"[You couldn't have asked that question in Japanese?]" Suzuka asked. "[Of course you mean more than that to me,]" she said, kissing Arisa, "[but that's not public knowledge _yet_. Soon, though. Very soon.]"

"[Ah. I'd heard that you and Dylan had broken up. It's because you finally decided to fall on the female side of the fence?]" After a moment of thought she realized she'd failed to introduce herself. "[Katie Barrett, by the way. I think you've probably already met my cousin Dylan.]"

"[Alisa Bannings. Or Arisa; generally I go with the former in America and the latter in Japan. Suzuka mentioned meeting Dylan's family this summer. …Among other things.]"

Katie turned red. "[Can we not talk about that? It…well, it happened, and it wasn't _unenjoyable_, but…it was just an experiment and I'm not switching sides.]"

"[I'm surprised you're taking the time out for a video chat on Christmas Eve,]" Arisa said, changing the subject.

"[Well, family gatherings,]" another female voice chimed in, "[it's not like the two of us have that much to do, being the only two girls in the family.]"

"[Hey Julia,]" Suzuka greeted her. "[Also two of the youngest, though I suppose the fact that you're _not_ the youngest anymore is part of the problem, isn't it?]"

"[I was never the youngest. Jackson was the youngest.]" She smiled, and Suzuka explained to Arisa in Japanese that Jackson and Julia were fraternal twins. "[But, yeah, new babies kind of dominate a room. Although we all met Carrie for the first time at Thanksgiving.]"

"[Ah, yes, Thanksgiving. I don't suppose Tommy won the pool, did he?]"

"[Suzuka!]"

Julia laughed. "[Nope, most of them on rebuys now. Hopefully they don't disallow rebuys for a _long _time.]"

"[Julia?]"

"[Oh, come on, you didn't think I'd pass up a shot at easy money like that! Eventually the boys will have to concede that it's never going to happen, and when they do, I'll be the winner.]"

"[Am I missing something here?]" Arisa asked.

"The rest of their cousins are betting on how long it takes for Jackson and Katie to ignore their familial relationship and start making out," Suzuka explained.

"[Oh. Didn't expect anyone to be in here.]"

"[Hey Kris. I thought the changing table was upstairs.]"

"[No, she—]" Kristina paused, smelling, "[—Ah, shoot, you're right. Carrie, you're supposed to go to the bathroom _after_ eating!]"

"[Probably needs to make room for more food,]" Katie suggested. Kristina brought the baby upstairs to change her. "[Well, there you go. You've now met the youngest member of our extended family.]"

* * *

><p>CCX: Yeah, Katie's going to be our main protagonist over on FictionPress.<p>

* * *

><p>*mid-afternoon*<p>

"I see you didn't invite the Ichirei sisters," Hanna pointed out.

"Well, it's not like they go to our school. We've got some mutual friends, but we're not really friends."

"Then this has nothing to do with Kuwata-san?"

"You're my best friend, Hanna-chan. I wouldn't go behind your back and date someone you don't want me dating—not that I'm allowed to date for over another year anyway."

"…Something about your wording seems off."

Katsura grinned. "Like I said, I'm your best friend. And it's _painfully_ obvious that you two have feelings for each other; Natsu-chan was able to see it even before I started letting her hang out with us more often."

"Feelings called hatred. So that's your story; that you kept Sakura-san away from the party for _my_ benefit?"

"You're so mistrustful. I told you it had nothing to do with Kuwata-san in the first place."

"Actually, you didn't tell me that. When I asked you that, your answer began with the words 'You're my best friend, Hanna-chan'."

"So picky. Maybe that's why you've been single for the past six months in spite of your massive tracts of land."

Hanna instinctively covered her breasts. "I'm single because I've _turned down_ every guy who asked me out."

"I know some people who could relate to that problem, but I'm not sure you'll like what they have to say." Hanna responded to this by shoving an entire cushion in Katsura's face. "It's not healthy to be so grumpy at Christmastime," Katsura said.

"I'm only grumpy because you're annoying me," Hanna said.

Katsura looked hurt. "Sorry," she said, hugging Hanna from behind. "I'll try to be less 'up'." She lowered her voice so her parents couldn't hear, "Besides, in theory I _shouldn't_ be this happy at Christmastime, seeing as how I can't date."

"We're still kids. We get presents from our parents. Also you're hosting a party, which makes you 'cool' despite not being allowed to date."

"I suppose." She wasn't convinced.

"You do remember that second year's almost over, right? Kuwata-san and I will be competing against each other for Student Council President."

"All the more reason to go for it. Get a rival out of the way."

"You know neither of us would back down, even if we were in a relationship."

"Of course not. You're both smart enough to know that such a relationship would only be temporary anyway, and that in the long run, you'd regret backing down on a one-time opportunity for the sake of a short-lived romance."

"So then it should go without saying that even if I'm right about you liking him, you'd still vote for me. Friends are forever, right?"

"Not _all_ friends. But we are. …I wonder if that was the plan all along."

"Plan?"

"The greater chess game. He was the one who suggested the possibility that he was only showing interest in me to irritate you, but when I told him that I was aware of that possibility, he had to consider the possibility that my apparent acceptance was so that I could mess with _his_ head on _your_ behalf. So I doubt he really expects my vote anyway."

"So there was something."

"Of course there was. Think about it for a moment and it'll make sense to you."

"…What will?"

"…Why do you have such a long-standing rivalry with Kuwata-san?"

"Because we both want to be the best, and there can only be one number one."

"Keep going."

"And we're both ultimately driven towards leadership roles, so it's impossible for the two of us to get along. I don't really know him _that_ well, of course, but I guess he's probably not that haughty to _everyone_…"

"Well, I haven't really seen much of him with his friends, either, but he seems pleasant enough towards most people—even if it might only be because he wants them to vote for him."

"So, not really true friends."

"How many 'true friends' do _you_ have?"

"…Good question. Most of my friends are really _your_ friends."

"You think? I always thought it was the other way around."

"…Well, you can be a bit much to deal with sometimes…but I'm not exactly the friendliest person either. I guess we balance each other out; you're too emotional and I'm too rational, but together we can get along with almost anyone."

"Now you're getting it."

"Getting what?" Katsura just smiled. "I'm sorry; I'm really not getting what you're hinting at."

"Think about where this discussion started out."

"…It started out about Kuwata-san, but then you made it about me. You're not saying…"

"You even said that the reason you two can't get along is because you're both alpha types. You know I've got your back when it comes time to take sides, but you can't see why I _might_ like a guy who's just like my best friend?"

"I think you're full of it…but thanks. When you put it that way, I guess it's a bit less unpalatable. Besides, it's still a moot point because by the time you can _actually_ date again, you'll no doubt have landed someone better."

"Think she's _already_ got someone like that," came a voice behind them. Katsura didn't even turn around, reaching back and hugging Suki. "Hey Katsu-tan."

"You're early. I'm not even dressed up yet."

"You look beautiful right now."

"Yeah, but I've got a lot to live up to now, after the way I took your breath away last Christmas."

Suki kissed her; not on the lips because she doubted Katsura's parents would take their eyes off of her for long even before the guests (read: boys) started arriving en masse, and told her, "Don't worry about it. You'll always be beautiful in my eyes."

Katsura blushed. "Suki-chan…"

* * *

><p>CCX: I feel like there should be something more to this chapter, but I'm not quite sure what, and the length is pretty good already. Perhaps if I figure out what to do with the party itself, it'll be next chapter. Until then, this is CCX, signing off.<p>

Actually, before I go, I figure I should probably explain why I handle the romanization of Arisa's name the way I do. I know that, canonically, "Alisa" _is_ the right romanization, but I prefer to use "Arisa" because "Alisa" and "Alicia (Testarossa)" are too similar. That said, I kind of like the idea of her using both pronunciations so as to best fit with each language.


	48. Chapter 48

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Chapter 48

Disclaimer: The usual.

*Christmas*

"Merry Christmas, Suki." Arisa attempted to greet Suki with a kiss on the lips, only to be surprised to find that it had been diverted. "Wait, there's someone not in on the masquerade watching us?" she whispered.

"Kasuka-chan."

"Your ex? No, wrong honorific…" (CCX: I could've sworn I'd explicitly stated that they broke up last chapter, but I can't find where. But yeah, Suzuka and Dylan aren't the only couple that broke up offscreen between Chapters 46 and 47.)

"Younger sister. Natsu-chan's best friend."

"Small world."

"That's what I said when I found out." Suki took the initiative with greeting Suzuka so she wouldn't have to go dodging again.

* * *

><p>"Ah, Kuwata-san!"<p>

"Er, yes, Aoba-san?"

"I was just wondering how your class did on the Christmas food drive. Ours kind of sucked…"

"…You're talking student council business at a party?"

"…Yes?"

"…I'm walking away." Which was exactly what the plan called for. "Ah, beg your pardon…oh, it's you, Watagami-chan."

"Yeah. Funny you two running into each other here," Katsura answered for her, pointing upwards.

"…Given your current status, I'm surprised your parents even allowed you to put mistletoe up. Also, fat chance."

"Like I'd want to kiss you," Hanna replied. "I've been set up."

"As have I, and I'm a bit surprised by whom by." (CCX: I think that's better than "at by whom". The problem with that sentence is that "by" is both the proper word to succeed "surprised" _and_ the proper word to precede "whom", but unlike "that" or "had", it's not a word that you can repeat twice in a grammatically correct way.)

"I knew it. She's been denying it for awhile, but I knew."

"I think you misunderstood me. There has never been anything romantic going on between myself and Katsura-san. That said, unlike you, I consider her a friend."

"I am your friend. Both of you. And friends look out for their friends' best interests."

"…We're never going to be a couple," both said in unison.

"Aw, but you make such a cute one."

They both walked off in opposite directions.

* * *

><p>"If you're going to look like that in a couple of years, promise I can at least be your winggirl and pick up on your leftovers," Kasumi said.<p>

"What?"

"Your sister. Seriously, if I were into girls I'd probably fall for her."

"She certainly does pull out all the stops at this time of year. Though last year she wasn't banned from dating so she had more reason to dress up," Natsume conceded, though privately she knew that the only person Katsura was _really_ trying to impress wasn't "off-limits" at all—though that wouldn't hold if their parents ever found out that Katsura swung both ways. "That said, I can't foresee our roles being reversed anytime soon."

"You can't foresee _anything_. Yeah, I may be the popular one now, but there's no way of knowing who puberty will decide to bless."

Natsume giggled. "I don't think puberty has anything to do with Neesan's ability to be stunning. Her two best friends are Hanna-chan and Suki-neesama."

"Both of whom have boobs as big as my head."

This made Natsume laugh even harder. "Well, not quite _that_ big…but pretty close."

"You don't think both boobs put together would be bigger than my head on either one of them?"

"Oh. Both put together. That's different. Yeah, totally."

* * *

><p>CCX: Eh, I'm running out of ideas for the Christmas party, especially since most of the romantic stuff can't happen with Katsura as the party hostess. Which means…<p>

* * *

><p>*New Year's Eve—Tsukimura residence*<p>

"Hmm? A newcomer to our group? Or is this just some classmate of yours whom I've forgotten?" Arisa asked.

"The former. Though I'm still a bit surprised that Kanna-chan was bold enough to bring her."

"Hey, it's the least I could do. After all, my best friend is making her big announcement tonight; I can't just hide my girlfriend away. …Though I think I'll still try to duck out of sight before kissing her."

"That's no good. If you're 'supporting me' like you say you are, you have to be there at midnight."

"What am I missing here?" Rika asked.

"Suzuka-chan is going to _very deliberately_ kiss Arisa at the stroke of midnight. Like you—and to an extent, me, but I had been rumored to be a lesbian for awhile whereas the most Suzuka has had was some vague rumors of bisexuality—she's not out of the closet. And also like you but not like me, she hasn't come out yet to her family."

"Which, seeing as how this is her house, would also be changing when she takes that action," Rika concluded. "That's pretty gutsy, coming out to your family and your friends at the same time, and with actions rather than words at that." She smiled. "I think I can wait for a kiss from you. I wouldn't want to miss that."

"How about you stock up now?" Kanna kissed her.

* * *

><p>"Eh? I kind of expected to be the second or third guest to arrive, at least among the students."<p>

"You are the third," Suzuka told Suki, "Piyori-chan's with Kanna-chan."

"Are you from out of town?"

"Nope; just a third-year junior high student. Makimaro Suki."

"Piyori Rika. You're a year younger than me?!"

"I get that a lot. Wait until Hanna-chan and Sakura-chan show up; they're both a year younger than me and look, well, maybe at most a year younger than I look."

"Uh, Suki? Watagami-chan was a party-crasher last time. Katsura-chan got an invite because she's your girlfriend and has sort of become a friend of ours as well, and Aoba-chan will be here as Chura-san's date, but this is still more or less a high school party."

"You didn't say anything about Sakura-chan."

"Er…that wasn't _entirely_ my doing. Remember who provided your fangirls the opportunity to sneak in in the first place."

"…Ichirei-san's parents are going to be here too, aren't they?"

"Father; Ichirei-san has been a widower for over a decade." (CCX: See, this is why I hate working in honorifics. When Suki says "Ichirei-san", she's referring to Miki; when Suzuka says it, she's referring to Miki and Sakura's father—who, in case you hadn't noticed, was never given a first name.)

"…Oh. I was wondering why I'd seen their father hovering around the same way Katsu-tan's parents do, but never their mother."

"Word of advice: _never_ mention that subject to Miki-chan. Seriously, just don't."

"You've piqued my curiosity."

"Too bad. I already probably know more than most, and that's still not much. Just trust me; Miki-chan hates her mother and you shouldn't ever mention her."

"Shouldn't ever mention who?" Katsura asked, arriving just in time for the end of the conversation.

"Don't worry about it," Suzuka said, "it's unlikely to ever become an issue for you."

"Not necessarily; Ichirei-san was starting to enjoy hanging out with my friends, probably because they're around her size."

"What's this all about?"

"You've probably noticed that Ichirei-san is a bit overprotective of his daughters—much like your parents—but his wife is nowhere to be seen," Suzuka said. "_Don't __**ever**__ ask where she is._ At least, don't ask Miki-chan. Sakura-chan was young enough when she died that she didn't fully understand what was going on, but…well, I only got what Izei-kun knew at the time, and that was before they started dating and she really opened up to him. Not that you'd be able to get anyone else to tell you anything; rule number two about Miki-chan's past is that if you _do_ know anything about it, you don't talk about it and just let her decide how much to tell."

"What was rule number one?"

"That you _**don't talk about it.**_"

"…Then how did this topic come up?"

"Well, that's the one thing that can be talked about. Sakura-chan had barely even met me when she preempted my attempt at asking about her mother by telling me not to."

"Right. Never ask Ichirei-san about her mother."

* * *

><p>"See? Told you you wouldn't be the youngest one here," Miki said.<p>

"That barely counts. They're the same year as me."

"Either way, you're not alone. And I thought they were your friends."

"Aoba-chan is my friend. I'm still not really sold on Himiya-san."

"Hey, Sakura-chan, Miki-san. Didn't realize you'd both be here."

"Yeah…turns out that for once Sakura-chan's not the only one being 'chaperoned'," Miki said sheepishly. "You know, to prevent your father from having to come here again."

"Tell her that having fellow second-years here doesn't count for not being the youngest."

"I'm still 13. It totally counts," Mayu replied. (CCX: I've been shoring up some of the DOBs. Mostly I just go by instinct, but I had to move Natsume's birthday a few days because of what year she was born in.)

"Told you so."

* * *

><p>"Ah…weren't you a classmate of Suzuka's in junior high? I didn't realize you'd remained that close with her."<p>

"I'm probably more friends with Bannings-san than with Tsukimura-san…but I'm here because I'm dating one of her classmates. Her ex-boyfriend, actually," Kaburagi replied.

"…Ex…"

"Yes, Okaa-san," Suzuka cut in, "Ex-boyfriend. You have to pay more attention; I told you that Keith-san and I had broken up. Mutual decision; better as friends. Hence, no post-breakup depression."

"You wait until after it's too late for us to find you a date for tonight to tell us that. I suppose that was intentional, though; you never really much liked it when we fixed you up with the sons of family friends, did you?"

"No, I didn't, but don't worry; I won't be alone at the stroke of midnight." Suzuka had to hold back a grin.

"That quickly?"

"…Not really."

"Is there something you're hiding from me?"

"...Just wait a few more hours."

Once they'd gotten clear of Mrs. Tsukimura, Kaburagi asked, "Are you implying what I think you're implying?"

"Yep. I made my decision early in the month; talked it over with…" she paused. "With Dylan-san. He had noticed that I seemed distant and guessed, correctly, that it wasn't _just_ because I knew I'd have to break up with him anyway when it came time for him to leave. He thought it best we make the breakup official so that I'd be 'single' when I—when the time came." Another pause, partly to gather her words because she didn't want to be overheard talking about her plans for midnight. "It feels so weird talking to you about this—not so much the part about what I'm going to do, but about my breakup with Dylan-san."

"Because I'm dating him now?"

Suzuka nodded. "I probably hung onto him for longer than I should have; Arisa noticed me 'easing myself away from him' in mid-November, possibly even earlier."

"It's all about appearances, right?"

* * *

><p>Indeed it was. "Not that your new girlfriend isn't good-looking, but seriously, why'd you break up with iincho-san?" Nitodaki asked. "Or did she break up with you?"<p>

"It was a mutual decision…sort of. I guess I was the one who suggested we actually break up, but she had been kind of distancing herself from me for awhile. I think she thought it would be easier to say goodbye at the end of the year if she did."

"…So then the rumors about her being bisexual?"

"Last I checked, 'bisexual' meant 'shows interest in both boys _and_ girls.' So I don't think that would really get in the way of her being with me."

"So then she really is?"

"I didn't say that."

"I think you're already saying too much," Suzuka said. "Am I going to have to lock you up for the next hour?"

"You couldn't have done that while we were still dating?" Dylan teased.

"Oh, so that's something you like? You heard him, Kaburagi-san; get cracking." And she sent the two of them off to one of the more private parts of the mansion.

"Why an hour?" Nichi asked.

"You'll see."

* * *

><p>By the time midnight had reached its final approach, everyone was buzzing about the fact that the class rep was obviously going to make some sort of big announcement, and Suzuka's parents also had some idea that their daughter had some sort of big plan for midnight—not to mention they were curious as to who she'd be with, since she said she wouldn't be alone. As such, nearly every pair of eyes at the party seemed to be trained on Suzuka. "You okay?" Arisa asked.<p>

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Even your parents' friends seem to be eagerly awaiting what you'll be doing at midnight. I'm not sure if half of them even know _why_ they're supposed to be so interested, other than that everyone else is."

"I cannot believe you subjected me to that," Dylan cut in.

"[To what?]"

"To nothing; he's just joking. [Kaburagi-san of all people wouldn't do something like that.]"

"Ah. Gotcha."

"Heh. You're here, too? I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're part of the team," Kanna said.

"Well, yeah. When it gets right down to it, he was the one who convinced me to finally go through with it."

"Even though it meant giving her up for yourself? Are you sure _you're_ straight?"

"As an arrow."

By this point the whispers were starting. Dylan being the only boy anywhere near her raised a bunch of red flags for the students—many of them correctly guessing that she was about to out herself. "Geez, _I'm_ nervous, and I'm not even in the closet," Arisa said.

"Don't be. This is exactly where you belong. Where _we_ belong."

The clock struck midnight.

* * *

><p>*January 1st, 2014*<p>

Even to those who were expecting it, it was still somewhat shocking the way she didn't say anything about what she was doing. Her parents took it in stride, only asking, "How long?"

"A couple of years, at least. Maybe more. That I knew that I wasn't entirely straight, that is—I had been on the fence until fairly recently, thinking I could go either way. But I don't think I was ever going to be with any other girl."

"You say that as if I was your first," Arisa said.

"…well, I wasn't going to venture out of our little group at any rate. Not without you, anyway," she added, remembering the threesomes and foursomes with Suki and Katsura.

"…Yeah." Arisa kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. "I think we're finally where we belong. Whatever else may come our way, we'll always have each other." Suzuka nodded.

* * *

><p>CCX: That…ended abruptly. But it's still not really over! CCX, signing off. (Also, posting this on a character's birthday, lol.)<p> 


	49. Epilogue

Lonely No More  
>by Cyberchao X<p>

Epilogue

CCX: I actually started writing this prior to starting Chapter 39, after Chapter 38 was finished. Keep that in mind.

Disclaimer: _Most_ of these characters are…

…_not_ my property. Also, spoilers for StrikerS.

*December 24th, 2015*

The door opened, and 17-year-old Suki Makimaro was swept into a mistletoe kiss by an unfamiliar brunette. "Wah! Who are you?" The faint blush tingeing her cheeks was more than indicator enough that she didn't really mind, though.

"Don't hold back; she's both available and 'receptive'." A familiar voice to the high schooler, one she had shared many passionate moments with.

"Well, I'm not used to being on the receiving end of a matchmaking attempt, but if you insist…" The unfamiliar brunette kissed Suki again, more deeply this time, hands playing across the girl's back.

"Oh. You must be Yagami-san; I recognize that technique. Though as the one who first taught Suzu-chan how to make love to a woman, maybe 'Yagami-_sama_' would be more appropriate."

Hayate blushed. "I would've thought Ari-chan would've had a much greater effect on Suzuka's technique than me."

"Well, I kind of got to Arisa before Suzu-chan did, so I wouldn't know."

"You so did not. All part of my 'evil plan', remember?" Suki and Suzuka greeted each other with a kiss.

"They're two of a kind, I assure you," Arisa said. "It'll be just like you managed to rekindle things with Suzuka. Which is good for you because I don't plan on giving her up to you."

"Well, there is…_one_ difference."

"Actually, there isn't. I was a little surprised to see you here, Makimaro-chan. Still obviously on very good terms with your ex."

"Wait, you've met this girl already, Nanoha-chan?"

"Once. Three years ago, when I managed to get leave."

"Oh yeah. I forgot that you actually have seen Ari-chan and Suzu-chan since we all parted ways."

"I'm a tad surprised to see you here this early as well, Suki-tan. Shouldn't you be at Katsu-chan's party?"

"I…couldn't bear to stay there."

"…Sorry."

"An ex-girlfriend?" Hayate asked.

"Yeah. I wanted to just keep her in my thrall forever, but I knew it was inevitable…she's gone straight."

"To hear her tell it, she was straight all along. Suki is just _that_ sexy."

Suki smiled. "You always know how to cheer me up, Arisa. I never should've left you. But…I'd have lost you eventually, too, wouldn't I? You and Suzuka are both so precious to me, and I know I mean something to both of you, but you'll always love each other more."

"Oh my…she _will_ get along quite well with Hayate," Fate spoke up.

"Fate-chan!"

"Well, it's true. As much as you like to pretend that you're just our friend, you _are_ special, to both of us," Nanoha said.

"Yeah, but I'm only 'Auntie Hayate'. You two are 'Nanoha-mama' and 'Fate-mama'."

"Wait, what?"

"Adopted. Fate-chan's apparently made a habit of adopting troubled youth, actually," Suzuka said.

"As expected. Fate-chan was always the most responsible member of our group."

"Even more so than Suzuka?" Suki asked.

Suzuka confirmed this. "Unfortunately, about 65% of the time we were outnumbered by the knuckleheads."

"Hey!" the remaining three members of the group said all at once.

"I thought I was pretty generous. Signum-san, Vita-chan, what do you think of my assessment?"

"Hayate-san has matured to the point that she is an effective, if still eccentric, leader. For the time frame that the five of you were together, though, she was still quite immature and mischievous," Signum said.

"As I thought. Vita-chan?"

"Seems a bit generous, but since everyone here knows about magic I'll defer to a source more qualified to speak on Nanoha's tendencies. Bardiche, in all of the battles you've fought alongside Raising Heart, how often has Nanoha been quick to turn to her biggest attacks?" Unlike Fate, who would've covered for her lover, the Intelligent Device answered truthfully. "Yeah, that sounds about right. Nanoha tends more towards solving things with magic, but is more level-headed than Hayate and, last I knew, Arisa-chan."

"I'm sure you already remember just what my magic can solve, Star-2?" Vita sweatdropped.

"The TSAB disbanded Riot Force 6. You'll have new codenames when our leave is over," Hayate said. "I suppose that having so many powerful mages on one squadron was just too much, especially with your pupils turning out so strong and so many of the Numbers joining our side in the end."

"Our pupils have nothing to do with it. They don't want us to be under your command—because you can't be objective with us; because you give us too much free range…"

"Wait…Haya-chan, you were Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan's boss?!" Suzuka exclaimed.

"Yep—their commander, anyway. I'm kind of a big shot, relatively speaking. A Lieutenant Commander before my 20th birthday."

"Just what _is_ this place, anyway? It sounds like a military!"

"It kind of is. We basically protect the proper flow of space and time from that which would disrupt it."

"So…got your uniform with you? Because I bet you'd look really sexy in it."

Nanoha was trying not to laugh, and Hayate asked, "What's so funny?"

"Seeing you on the defensive for once."

"I don't suppose we could convince the two of you to _join_ us?" Arisa said.

"…Eh?"

Arisa smiled. "Hayate-chan, when Nanoha-chan said that you were special to the both of them, she _was_ referring to threesomes, right? So they're not inexperienced in having multiple partners?"

Hayate giggled. "A few times. I take it the three of you have had threesomes as well?"

"Fairly regularly, and starting when Suki-tan was still officially my girlfriend."

"At _my_ suggestion, no less," Suki added.

"Also we had a foursome once when you were still with Katsu-chan," Suzuka added. "Though I'm sure that's nothing compared to what you've done."

"Not for lack of trying, but no. I've never managed to get beyond threesomes…well, unless you count having a threesome while Unisoned with Rein-tan as a foursome."

"Wait, when did you do that? It certainly wasn't with us," Signum said.

"It wasn't us," Fate said.

Hayate blushed. "…Actually that one was with Tea-chan and Subaru-chan."

"So you've definitely had more partners, just not at the same time. Still, I'm surprised that you didn't at _least_ manage a foursome with Signum-san, Shamal-san, and Vita-san," Suzuka said.

"…Vita-chan doesn't exactly 'play well with others'," Hayate confided. "All of my encounters with her have been one-on-one."

"What exactly did she mean by 'Unisoned'?" Suki asked Arisa.

"I'm not entirely sure. Probably some sort of mage thing."

"I could show you if you want."

"You brought Rein-tan?" Nanoha asked.

"Where else would she be? She's part of the Wolkenritter too…sort of." She opened her bag. "Hey, Rein-tan, wake up. We're here."

"Have been for awhile," Shamal said.

"What? You didn't wake Rein when we got here?"

"…She's so cute!"

"…Is this going to be like that time with Tea-san and Subaru-san? Rein didn't like that very much."

"No, don't worry; that won't be necessary. I would like to demonstrate Unison, though."

"…Okay!"

* * *

><p>"So, Nanoha-chan, you never answered my question. Hayate-chan seems quite eager to catch up with Suzuka, and of course I'm going to be there too. And it doesn't seem like she'd mind if Suki-tan joined us, though I don't think I'd be able to keep her away if I tried. I'd love it if you and Fate-chan joined us as well."<p>

"Arisa-chan…when you say it like that, it only seems natural that I'd say yes…when, in fact, it is not at all natural, seeing as how you are inviting us to an _orgy_."

"You make it sound like our life down on Earth is so exciting. Most of the time it's pretty dull. Your life sounds so much more interesting."

"…Yes, it is. And I don't regret it, even though it can sometimes get very dangerous and the occasional moment of 'dullness' would be welcomed."

Fate laughed. "I think the only 'dullness' you're itching for at the moment is that of being constantly active for the TSAB."

"Nani?"

"As opposed to raising a five-year-old girl who is actually a centuries-old Belkan king."

"Wait, _what?_" Arisa asked.

"It's complicated. Vivio-chan is actually the reincarnation of an ancient king and has all of her memories."

"Whose memories?"

"Sankt Kaiser Olivie. The title translates to the masculine 'Saint King', but it actually belonged to a woman."

"Belka…is that where the Wolkenritter were from?" Arisa asked. Nanoha and Fate nodded. "I still want to know why this completely different world uses a language also found on this planet. We actually lied to someone outside the masquerade when they asked where the three of you had gone and said that you were in Europe, because that's where Hayate's 'family' was from."

"I wish I had answers for you," Nanoha said.

"You can answer my initial question," Arisa replied.

"I think we'll pass, thanks," Fate and Nanoha both said.

* * *

><p>"Wow. Forgive me for being overeager, but <em>wow.<em>"

Suki blushed. "You'll make me self-conscious. Besides, it's not like you're that small, either; certainly a lot bigger than I'm used to."

Suzuka mock-pouted. "Just because I was never actually your girlfriend, I don't matter anymore?"

"Of course you matter. But you have to admit that I've mostly dated flat-chested girls."

"I'm standing right here," Arisa said.

"I know. Your ass is as lovely as ever."

"Firm, too. You're in better shape than a lot of our combat mages."

"Should I be surprised by this? They rely on magic, don't they?"

"_Combat_ mages. Mostly their magic just allows them to punch and kick stuff harder. You and Subaru-chan would probably get along great…no, actually, she'd probably get on your nerves. _Tea_-chan would probably get along very well with the three of you, but she can be a bit…'shy', we'll call it."

"Not really comfortable with the idea of a same-sex relationship yet?"

"Or at least still in denial. I _did_ manage to convince her to join me for a threesome…or rather, Subaru-chan convinced her. Well, either way, if they ever get leave and head to Earth, I'll tell them to look you up. Subaru-chan's Japanese like us, you know."

"Shh. Casual dialogue later. Sexy time now," Suzuka insisted.

"If you insist." She stuck two fingers into the amethyst-haired young woman. "I still need to make up for lost time."

"Mm…but I'm…not yours anymore."

"So?"

Suzuka couldn't come up with a rational counter to that.

"That's what I thought."

"This 'foursome' doesn't seem very fourish," Suki remarked.

"Don't worry; I'll handle it." Arisa grabbed Hayate away from Suzuka. "Okay, lesson time. Today's subjects are anatomy and sex education; they work quite well together. These are the parts of Suki's anatomy that you need to intimately familiarize yourself with." She began an intensely guided tour of her ex's top pleasure spots. "Now, obviously you'll want to go a bit slower so as to draw out the experience; this was merely for demonstrative purposes."

Hayate applauded.

* * *

><p>"Was that…<em>applause?<em>" Nanoha asked.

"It's Hayate-san. Weird things happen when she's in bed," Vita pointed out.

"So…Arisa-chan and Suzuka-chan. I'm a little surprised," Fate said.

"You shouldn't be. You were there as well when I found out Suzuka-chan had confessed to Hayate-chan just before we left," Nanoha replied.

"It's not that. It's, well…when we first got here, it was like nothing had changed."

"You mean Arisa-chan's crush on us," Nanoha said. "True, that doesn't seem to have disappeared. But we're not really of this planet anymore. You're not even _from_ this planet. Arisa-chan's not the type to get hung up over a lost cause forever. Judging by my first meeting with Makimaro-chan, she and Arisa-chan must've started dating not long after we first left." (CCX: Or possibly even before; it's not explicit how long they'd been seeing each other when we first meet Suki in Chapter 3.)

"I agree. This is healthier for her." Fate looked over at Nanoha's expression. "Something on your mind?"

"I'm starting to wonder if perhaps we should've accepted Arisa-chan's invitation."

"You know I don't like sharing. If you want, I'm sure we could find another room…"

"Not with a bed. This apartment only has one bedroom," Signum informed them.

"…Already looking for some private time with Shamal-san?" Nanoha teased, and Signum reddened.

"N-no…!"

Nanoha grinned. "Doesn't matter. I'm just more curious than anything else."

"I think Hayate-chan's corrupted you."

"They were my best friends when I was a little girl. A _normal_ little girl, anyway."

"…And that equates to a curiosity to see how they are in bed."

"What?! No, that's not right…it just means that, well, friends look out for each other and try to make each other happy…"

"…which, in your case, you mean in the carnal sense…"

"…because making them explode in the _literal_ sense just isn't enough…" Vita added.

"Why does everyone tease me about that?! I've made plenty of friends without Starlight Breaker!" Fate and the Wolkenritter laughed.

* * *

><p>Hayate was having her world blown. "This is…really…<em>incredible!<em>"

"I can't believe you've _never_ used a strap-on before. Are you _that_ disgusted by the idea of having a penis inside of you?" Suzuka asked.

"Disgusted? No. It just feels funny…or at least, it did. How'd you get so good at using that?"

"You forget, both of us have been with men before," Suki said. "I'm _still_ actively bisexual."

"And so is your boyfriend," Arisa cracked. "Or are you just a beard for him?"

"No, he's really into me. I know he's pretty 'fabulous', but he's not actually gay."

"You really believe that?"

"I do. He knows full well that I like girls, so he has no reason to hide it from me if he likes boys. He swears he doesn't."

"Who would want a guy when they could have these u— mil— jugs?" Hayate asked, before taking a breast and putting it into her mouth.

"I think that's not the only thing you've just put in your mouth," Suki said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't… I… You have to admit, they're really big."

"They are. But that's no excuse for calling someone a cow."

"Should I moo-ve on out?"

Suki smiled. "That was a horrible pun. Come on; your lips are put to better use 'milking' me."

"See, that's the problem with extending things out to a foursome. Suki-chan only has two nipples," Suzuka said, covering the other one.

"Well, that's what I've got my _girlfriend_ for," Arisa replied, gently teasing at Suzuka's nipples, one with her tongue and the other with her fingers. Suzuka moaned Arisa's name into Suki's ample chest. "Not to mention she can actually _enjoy_ having those poor excuses for sexual noises muffled."

"I don't know; they seemed pretty loud to me," Hayate said, "even through Suki's breasts."

"That's the problem. Suzuka is as great as they come in bed, but she can't talk sexy. _At all._"

"I've honored our agreement. No pillow talk. Last I checked me screaming your name as I orgasmed was still music to your ears."

"It is. Hearing you _completely lose yourself in a moment of passion_ is music to my ears; any _calculated attempts at turning me on_ aren't. That's what we decided, was it not?"

Suzuka didn't respond. "Ooh, Suzuka-chan, you're in _big_ trouble," Hayate said. Suzuka looked to her for help. "You _do_ realize what she's insinuating, don't you?"

"I'm afraid I don't."

"You've been faking your orgasms."

"I have not!"

"Oh, don't get me wrong; I'm still plenty confident in my ability to make you come. And I know that even if some day the passion _did_ leave our romance completely, we'd still be unable to leave one another. But yes, Hayate-chan is correct; I can tell the difference between your real orgasms and your fake ones."

"Well, excuse _me_ for not being able to keep up with you." Arisa blushed.

"Is this true? Is Arisa-chan a quick and frequent comer?" Hayate asked, hands probing between the homme's muscular thighs.

"Not _that_ quick," Suki said. "Or maybe I just wasn't doing it right when it was just the two of us; I _was_ pretty young then. But yes, I suppose that once I got her to climax the first time, it was easy enough to keep them coming—no pun intended."

"You're—you're!—one to talk a_booouuuut_ rapid-fire climaxes," Arisa shot back, though it was hard to form sentences with the way Hayate was working her. "I'm pretty—pretty sure—that little displaaa_aaahhh!_ –Display of mine—saw you starting new—new ones before the—ee!—the last ones ended."

"That can actually be dangerous," Hayate said, giving Arisa a chance to rest. "Or so I've heard. Perhaps we should wrap this up? I promise I'll leave my uniform unbuttoned for Suki-chan."

Suki shook her head. "Later. I want the full effect of the uniform, and that means you're not going to be disheveled…until I dishevel you." A grin.

Hayate smiled back. "Agreed."

* * *

><p>CCX: Well, this is it for real. There may be that FictionPress spinoff, and there also may be side stories to wrap up all of the hanging plot threads from this story's OCs, but this story is finally completed. Now, I mentioned last chapter that I'd been shoring up birthdays, and also that I had updated on a character's birthday (namely Hanna's.) Turns out, that wasn't the first time I'd updated on her birthday—Chapter 18 went up on 77/2012. There were two other dates upon which I'd put up a chapter in two different years—March 28th (Chapter 10 in 2012 and Chapter 39 in 2013) and June 28th (Chapter 17 in 2012 and Chapter 42 in 2013). Since I'd already placed Suki's birthday _somewhere_ in June, I decided to make it June 28th. This, it should be noted, puts her directly opposite to Katsura, whose birthday is December 28th. Now, astrology seems to be a little fuzzy as to whether polar opposites on the horoscope are the _best_ match or the _worst_ match…I'll leave it to you to decide. Until next fanfic (which will probably be either TSD2 or a certain FE7 fic that I dreamed up about five years ago and never wrote), this is Cyberchao X, signing off.


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